Sharjah Police warn: Could saving seven minutes on the road cost your life?

Sharjah: In today’s fast-paced world, many of us feel trapped in a race against time. The temptation to press harder on the accelerator to reach a destination a few minutes earlier is strong—but is it really worth the risk?

A recent investigation, supported by a field experiment conducted by Sharjah Police in cooperation with the Sharjah Broadcast Authority, offers a clear answer: those seven minutes could cost you everything.

To test the effects of speeding, Sharjah Police ran a real-life experiment on a 34-kilometre highway. Drivers travelled the same distance at three different speeds:

The difference was striking. Driving 40 km/h faster saved only seven minutes compared with driving at 100 km/h. Even between 120 km/h and 140 km/h, the difference was just four minutes.

Major Saud Al Shaibi, Head of Awareness and Media at Sharjah Police, said: “The minutes you save on the road may be the same ones that lead to losing control of your life.”

He explained that a driver’s ability to control the vehicle decreases significantly at higher speeds. Reaction time shortens, braking becomes less effective, and handling becomes more challenging. These factors dramatically increase the likelihood of severe accidents.

Speeding doesn’t just break the law—it breaks lives. Even a small mistake or sudden obstacle at high speeds can lead to disaster.

Alaa Eldin Sobhi, Director of the National Institute for Traffic Safety, told Gulf News: “Traffic violations are the main gateway to road accidents, causing severe damage to society. Excessive speed is one of the most dangerous contributing factors.”

Sobhi emphasised that while higher speeds slightly reduce travel time, the potential damage far outweighs any benefit—a fact clearly demonstrated by the Sharjah Police experiment.