Keep safe distance between cars: Dubai Police

Dubai Traffic Police launched a new campaign to warn drivers to keep enough distance between vehicles after recording an increase in number of deaths on the roads this year.

Police said in the first four months of this year, about seven people were killed in traffic accidents that involved not leaving enough distance between vehicles. The figures compare to 22 deaths due to the same reason in 2013.

Last year the number of offences of not leaving enough distance between vehicles on Dubai roads was 63,000,  while in the first three months of 2014, the number of offences has already hit 21,312. Police also recorded 136 accidents so far this year resulting from not leaving enough distance between vehicles compared to 512 accidents throughout last year.

According to Brigadier Jamal Al Banai from Dubai Traffic Police, the number of accidents and casualties on Dubai roads this year is a worrying figure.

“Our campaign focuses on the dangers of not leaving enough distance between two vehicles. We want to reduce the accident numbers and have safer roads. The figures increased because Dubai has more vehicles on roads now and it’s a growing city,” Brigadier Al Banai said.

Police is co-ordinating with Enoc petrol stations to put stickers at stations and distribute leaflets to drivers in the next two months to raise awareness.

Brigadier Al Banai claimed that in slow traffic, one meter distance is enough but on highways it’s better to keep 100 meters between vehicles, “We have radars that can record this offence but it’s not activated yet. It will be activated in the future,” Al Banai added.

The fine for not leaving enough distance is Dh400 and four traffic points.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths on Dubai roads so far this year is 69, compared to  60 during the same period last year.

According to Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Deputy Director of Dubai Traffic Police Department, most of the accidents are caused by drivers’ mistakes and speeding. “Most of the traffic accidents which caused deaths were because of drivers’ mistakes. Either they were not paying attention while driving or they were speeding and not leaving enough distance,” he said.

Official statistics of the first four months this year reveal 932 traffic accidents; 69 traffic deaths and 791 people sustained injuries. While, during the same period last year, there were 1,008 traffic accidents in which 60 people lost their lives and 878 people were hurt.
 

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