Abu Dhabi to cancel grace speed limit on roads

Grace speed to be cut gradually from early 2013 before it is totally annulled

Abu Dhabi traffic authorities have decided to gradually reduce grace speed limit on roads from the start of 2013 before it is totally cancelled as part of a strategy intended to curb accidents, a newspaper reported on Friday.

The decision will affect both motorways and internal roads, where drivers are currently permitted to overshoot the assigned speed limit by 20 kph.

“From the beginning of next year, we will start cutting the grace speed limit gradually so the drivers will get used to the new limit…within two years from that date, there will be no grace speed on all roads,” the semi official daily Alittihad said, quoting traffic police chief Brigadier Hussein Ahmed Al Harithi.

“All external and internal roads in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain and the western region will have no grace speed after two years…we call on all motorists to abide by the speed limit to avert accidents and ensure the safety of roads and road users.”

Harithi said the plan is part of a long-term traffic strategy designed to achieve zero deaths on roads by 2030.

Abu Dhabi emirate, with a population of more than two million, has one of the highest road accident rates in the world, exceeding 10,000 in 2011. Experts blamed massive road violations, lack of awareness and relatively lax laws.

MUST READ:

Emirati killed in RAK; car catches fire in mall

  • Twitter
  • submit to reddit

Comments

  • Mohammed 21 August 2012 08:35 2 3
    reduce the speed limit, that wont stop speeders, people will just remember where radars are and speed till they get close and then slow down.
  • John 7 August 2012 11:08 10 3
    Instead of reducing speed we should teach people how to drive!
  • Tark 7 August 2012 10:40 2 2
    more easy and much simple
  • Dave 6 August 2012 23:58 18 0
    Driving at 140 kph keeping 100 yards between cars is far safer than driving 80 kph with 20 yards distance. However the popular and wrong belief is that going slower is safer; a limit of 100 kph is low for a 5 lane highway with less traffic density
  • Another Sol 6 August 2012 11:42 26 2
    Dear sir, bad driving practices like tailgating, random lane changing without sufficient use of indicators etc. are the major reasons for accidents. Reducing the buffer may not solve the problem of over-speeding.
  • James 6 August 2012 10:59 16 2
    Fines in Dubai/ Abu Dhabi are one of the reasons for STRESS
  • Tarek Mewafi 6 August 2012 10:30 5 18
    Dear Sir/Madame, I prefer to reduce the speed limit by 20KM/PH in all roads and keep the grace limit in place. It is very easy for all drivers to speed few KMs over the speed limit anytime. Thank you,
  • Abdul Samad 6 August 2012 10:05 5 39
    very good decision taken by Government,
  • solution 6 August 2012 09:12 29 4
    this is not the solution to reduce accidents
  • Todd 6 August 2012 08:21 33 1
    Who thinks speed is the main culprit to the accident rates? The actual problem is the difference in the speeds that motorists are travelling. By reducing the buffer, it will not only scare people into going much less than the speed limit but also have a low impact into the road issues that are being faced. A better understanding on the reasons behind accidents is warranted before this is fully implemented.

Have your say

Comments submitted by third parties on this site are the sole responsibility of the individual/s whose content is submitted. DMI accepts no responsibility for the content of comment/s, including, without limitation, any error, omission or inaccuracy therein. Please note that your email address will NOT appear on the site.

By submitting your comments you agree to this website's Terms & Conditions

Type in the characters you see in the picture below.

Videos

Follow
Emirates 24|7

Follow
Emirates 24|7
Google+ Facebook Twitter RSS

Most Popular in News

Latest jobs available

More jobs on Emirates 24|7

In Case You Missed It ...