'Lack of traffic rules' knowledge causes mishaps'

Speeding, use of mobile phones while driving, braking suddenly, parking vehicles in places not designated for that purpose and non-use of seat belts are the main reasons for accidents in Dubai, according to Major General Mohammad Saif Al Zaffin, Director-General of Dubai Traffic Police.

He added:  “The list of bad habits and wrong practices while driving include overloading vehicles with passengers, not signalling when moving from one lane to another and lack of respect for places reserved for those with special needs.”

Maj Gen Al Zaffin stressed:  “The main reason for some of these habits is lack of awareness of traffic rules.”

He added: “Unfortunately, Emiratis came in the forefront of offenders for speeding and using the mobile phone while driving.”

Al Zaffin attributed such irregularities to the ability of the majority of Emaratis to have luxury cars, which encourages some of them who have a passion for high speed driving.

He also said: “Asians are the majority in non-use of seat belts as well as sudden braking.”

He added that their other violations include using the mobile phone while driving and loading cars with passengers more than the permitted capacity.

He said: “Drivers of the taxicabs and minibuses, to whom time is an important factor of their work, are also prone to excess speed.”

He pointed out:  “Most of the Asians residents of the UAE do not have a driving licence in their home countries.  When they come to the UAE, they try their best to get a driving licence which can enhance their chances to getting a job.”

He added that Asians are at the top of the categories that suffer from the lack of traffic awareness because  the traffic system in the UAE is different from the one in their countries.

He also said:  “Arabs get the top rank for excess speed and for not signaling when moving from one lane to another.”

Maj Gen Al Zaffin explained:  “The failure to give the signal when moving from one lane to another is one of the common mistakes committed by the majority of nationalities in the UAE.”

He added: “Everyone obeys traffic rules, especially giving the signal, only when applying for the driving test to obtain a licence. After getting the licence, the majority of drivers forget such simple rules.”

He said: “Europeans and westerners have more respect for traffic regulations, and they are the people who respect parking reserved for those with special needs compared to Emaratis, Arabs and Indians.”

He explained: “Europeans do not commit many irregularities, though a few of them commit breach of radar from time to time.”

“These are general observations not based on accurate statistics and studies,” he said.

There are more than 200 nationalities are working in Dubai where Asians make up more than 70 per cent of the total population.

The observations of Maj Gen Al Zaffin are consistent with statistics of Dubai Traffic Police on accidents in the first nine months of this year.

According to these statistics, Indians were involved in 231 traffic accidents or 24 per cent of the total of 961 incidents.

These accidents led to 12 deaths (12 per cent of total deaths) and 349 injured or 23.5 per cent of the total number of people injured.

Pakistanis came second in the list of traffic rule offenders. They were involved in 222 incidents which resulted in 23 deaths (24 per cent of total deaths), and caused 342 injuries (23 per cent of total injuries).

Emaratis took the third place by causing 181 accidents, which resulted in 23 deaths (24 per cent of total deaths), and led to 315 injuries (21 per cent of total injuries).

Egyptians came fourth, causing 46 accidents resulting in four deaths (four per cent of total deaths) and led to 58 injuries (about 4 per cent of total injuries).

Poles and Belgians brought up the rear with one accident each which did not result in death. Only one person was injured in each accident.

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