Traffic deaths drop 21% in first half

Road mortality rates in the UAE dropped by 21 per cent and injuries by 23 per cent in the first half of the year compared to the corresponding half of last year, official figures reveal.

In another positive development, accidents caused by collision, run over and turn over of vehicles fell by 25 per cent, according to Colonel Ghaith Al Za'abi, Director General of Traffic Coordination Administration, Ministry of Interior.

Statistics showed that a decline of traffic mishaps across the Emirates to 3581 in the first six months of 2010 from 5032 in the same period in 2009 led to a slump in fatalities and injuries to 391 and 4372 from 495 and 5652 respectively in the period under review.

Emirate-wise, Abu Dhabi traffic accidents dropped 26 per cent from 1631 in the January-June period 2009 to 1211 in the same half of 2010.

This brought the traffic death toll down from 216 to 174 and injuries from 1908 to 1756.

In Dubai, he said, traffic accidents sank to 1915 in the first half of 2009 to 1358 in the corresponding half in the current year while the number of persons died and wounded in traffic accidents waned by 25 and 51 per cent respectively.

The neighbouring Emirate of Sharjah, Al Za'abi continued, saw a decrease of 18.5 per cent in road accidents in the January through June, pushing death toll and wounded cases by 26 and 23 per cent respectively.

“While traffic accidents and death toll went down by 22 and 31 per cent respectively in Ajman, injuries rose by 11 per cent,'' said the top Interior Ministry officer.

For Umm Al Qaiwain, traffic mishaps dipped 21 per cent but the tally of those lost their lives and sustained casualties surged 11 and 9 per cent respectively.

Traffic accidents decreased 25 per cent in Ras Al Khaimah. Death toll and cases of wounded people went down 23 and 10 per cent.

The mortality rate in Fujairah increased 12.5 per cent against a 27 per cent decrease in injuries,'' he added.

The figures indicated that collisions, roll-overs and run-over accidents dropped from 3323, 573 and 1011 to 2544, 442 and 733 respectively.

He noted that Dubai eclipsed other emirates in terms of the tally of accidents registering 1358 followed by Abu Dhabi at 1211 in the period of review.

Colonel Al Za'abi attributed the decline in road accidents, mortalities and injuries to the Ministry’s new strategy which seeks to reduce traffic accidents and deaths to the lowest rates.

“Massive deployment of traffic patrols on the roads across the country, and the enforcement of a black points system, have had positive impact on observance of traffic rules,'' he added.

Tightening the noose on reckless and hostile motorists through a set of deterrent measures and aggressive traffic awareness campaigns targeting all road users had helped to reduce the toll.

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