UAE drivers 7 times more likely to die on roads: WHO report

Dubai: UAE roads users are almost seven times more likely to be killed than those in UK according to Global Status Report on Road Safety, released on Monday by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to the report 37.1 people were killed on roads in the UAE for every 100,000 people in 2007.

Dr. Margaret Chan, the WHO's director general said that the figures are dismal and ‘needs highest attention'.

The 287-page report said that there were 1,754,420 vehicles registered in 2007. It said that UAE is the worst performer in the region with more death per head of population than Bahrain (12.1 per cent), Kuwait (16.9 per cent), Qatar (23.7 per cent), Saudi Arabia 29 per cent and Yemen (29.3 per cent).

The report further said that the number of countries studied in the report was 178 and more than 98 per cent of the world's population has worse record on road safety.

Each year approximately 1.3 million deaths occur on the world's roads, a toll comparable to malaria and tuberculosis in fatalities alone. Yet the burden of unsafe roads is far greater; severe disabling injuries affect an additional 20 to 50 million people each year. Low and middle income countries are disproportionately impacted; more than 85 per cent of all fatalities and injuries occur in the developing world.

Tragically, children are often the victims particularly in low and middle income countries. Road traffic fatalities is the number one killer of children aged10-24, and 96 per cent of these children are dying on roads in developing nations. The trend is predicted to continue and to accelerate, fueled by the rapid motorization that accompanies development.

Road traffic crashes consume 1-2 per cent of GNP for most countries. The World Health Organization estimates annual worldwide economic costs at USD $518 billion - a total that equals or exceeds annual bilateral overseas aid.

Dubai has recorded an 18 per cent decline in the number of fatalities on the roads in the first four months of the year compared to last year, said a top traffic police official.

During the first four months of last year, Dubai recorded 102 deaths mostly due to speeding. However, this year the toll declined to 84, said Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, director-general of Dubai Police's traffic department in an recent interview with the Gulf News.

The number of deaths each month witnessed a decrease except for March. In January there were 20 fatalities while last year there were 24. In February this year there were 31 deaths and 39 last year. In March there were 18 deaths while there were 16 last year. Finally, last month there were 15 deaths compared to 23 last year.

According to Brigadier Al Zafein, there are a number of reasons for this decline such as the black points system, an increase in the number of radars, traffic awareness campaigns and an increase in traffic patrols and fines.

Currently the traffic department has installed two advanced radars on Al Khail Road on a trial basis until the summer. These radars not only monitor speeding but other road violations such as vehicles not keeping enough distance between other vehicles, and trucks driving in the fast lane.

The new radar system has multiple videos installed and is tailored to withstand the soaring heat of the summer, he said while adding the radar was made in consultation with companies to modify them to the regulatory requirements of the traffic department.

Brigadier Al Zafein said that the department will announce soon the implementation of new radars on traffic patrol cars.

Similar efforts to minimize road deaths are also been taken in capital Abu Dhabi were 40 new radars, both fixed and mobile, are activated.

Nearly a quarter of a million traffic violations were recorded in Dubai over the first three months this year.

Out of the 244,927 violations, more than half were due to speeding, giving officials ample reason to keep motorists under a watchful eye.