Traffic accidents drop to 25pc in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI: Road deaths in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi dropped by 25 percent in 2018 as compared to the years before, while severe injuries have also decreased by 19 percent comparing 2018 and 2017.

Appreciating the campaign “Traffic Safety Strategy 2016-2020, Director of the Central Operations Sector at Abu Dhabi Police Major General Ali Khalfan Al Dhahiri said that the decrease was due to the outcomes achieved in traffic campaign. The Abu Dhabi police released the figures of accidents of the previous year. Some 149 people died in road accidents in 2018, dropping from 199 in 2017. Reports have shown that despite an annual increase of cars on UAE roads, road deaths have significantly dropped since 2007.Severe road-related injuries also fell from 149 to 120 incidents last year.

Deaths caused by run-over accidents during the year 2018 have decreased by 38 per cent compared to 2017. More than 1.1 million road users made an emergency call to Abu Dhabi police’s emergency call centre in 2018 while 645,000 reported in 2017.

According to Abu Dhabi police, the aviation department of the force carried out 1,523 missions, 24 of which are road accidents and 40 to transport patients to hospitals.

In a press conference held at the Traffic and Patrols Directorate, Major General Ali Khalfan Al Dhahiri lauded the efforts of Abu Dhabi Police for the implementation of proactive traffic safety plans during changing weather conditions.

In the Year of Tolerance, he urged drivers to deepen the values of tolerance and positive cooperation by giving way to ambulances, police and civil defence vehicles and not to block the vehicles, and give priority to pedestrians in the designated crossings. He pointed to the importance of leaving the safety distance, use the seat belt, and to avoid the use of the phone. He expressed the hope that everyone will cooperate in strengthening efforts to make our roads safer and achieve the best levels of traffic safety.