Eid road accidents fall sharply in Abu Dhabi

The number of road accidents in Abu Dhabi during Eid Al Adha holidays fell from 28 last year to 17 this year.

Four people died and two seriously injured in 17 traffic accident in Abu Dhabi during the Eid holidays from October 25 to 28.

Colonel Khamis Ishaq Mohammed, deputy director of the Directorate of Traffic and Patrols at Abu Dhabi Police, said seven of the road accidents during the holidays took place in the evenings, following by six in the afternoons.

Meanwhile, motorbike accidents cause 35 times more injuries than car accidents and motorcycle riders without helmets were four times more likely than helmeted riders to meet with accidents, according to Brigadier Hussein Al Harthy, director of traffic and patrols in Abu Dhabi Police.

Two-wheeler bikes can be confiscated for reckless driving, as per traffic rules. Four-wheeled bikes can be confiscated for driving on public roads and in residential neighbourhoods.  A bike rider can get four negative points for not wearing a helmet.

Brigadier Al Harthy called on citizens and residents  to call the toll free number 800 26 26  to report dangerous or nuisance driving by motorbike riders.

Abu Dhabi traffic statistics indicate that motorcycles in caused 65 accidents during the past nine months which resulted in the death of two people and injuries to ten. Motorbike riders were charged with 1,327 traffic rule violations during this period.

The violations included speeding (337), causing noise (16), not wearing helmet (95) and not giving priority to pedestrians (11).

He appealed to motorbike riders to use helmets, saying that helmetless riders are four times more likely to suffer from fractures in the head than helmeted riders.

He also warned residents against using unlicensed motorcycles, particularly off-road and desert vehicles.

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