The road accident fatality rate in Dubai has fallen from 21 to 12.7 cases per 100,000 population, said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

"Co-operation between the RTA and the Ministry of Interior, Dubai Police General headquarters and the driving schools has yielded a drop in the traffic accident fatality rate, which was as high as 40 per cent between 2005 and 2009. It's an excellent achievement by international safety standards," he said. "The RTA has conducted the studies required to develop an integrated traffic safety strategy, which is expected to reduce the fatality rate to levels comparable with those in the world's best cities by 2015."

And, in a speech to mark the start of GCC Traffic Week, he added that the authority had taken action to improve safety at 120 accident blackspots.

Al Tayer said safety was a key concern of the authority.

"The RTA believes that boosting traffic education and spreading awareness among all road users are community duties that cannot be achieved without the concerted efforts of various public and private entities and all segments of the community, especially parents.

"Based on this, the RTA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Interior to boost the existing strategic partnership relationships in an effective manner to curb traffic congestion, accidents and cases where pedestrians are hit by vehicles, as well as improve road safety education.

"Maintaining effective traffic safety systems on the roads requires close co-operation with all stakeholders such as the ministry, the RTA, the police, civil defence directorates, the ambulance service, the education sector, and non-government organisations."

He said the RTA was carrying out audits at the design and construction phases of all its projects and developers' projects to ensure they meet RTA-approved standards in addition to carrying out regular inspections on existing roads.

The RTA has rectified more than 120 blackspots – areas that have seen recurrent traffic accidents.

It also carried out studies for the construction of footbridges and more than 100 pedestrian crossing points, besides examining the provision of speed reduction measures in areas around schools and mosques.

"The RTA has also prepared several traffic safety engineering guides at the highest international standards and carried out several studies to address the frequent traffic problems such as pedestrian accidents, excessive speed and federal traffic law."

And he called on citizens and residents to help spread road safety awareness among their colleagues.

Be aware of others' mistakes 

About 106 people lost their lives in 675 road accidents in Al Ain last year, a senior police officer said yesterday at an event to mark the launch of the 26th GCC Traffic Week under the theme "Be aware of others' mistakes".

"Some 866 people were injured and 968,300 violations were issued in 2009, Lt Colonel Hamad Al Balouchi, Head of Al Ain Traffic, said during the ceremony which was attended by Sheikh Hazza bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Undersecretary of the Court of Ruler's Representative in the Eastern Region.

He said this year's slogan had been chosen to highlight the traffic accidents caused by faults committed by other motorists like talking over the phone while driving.