121 killed on Abu Dhabi roads in 6 months

Road accidents killed 121 people in Abu Dhabi in the first half of 2014 as a result of reckless driving, speeding, jumping the red lights and other traffic abuses.
Police data showed Asian and Emirati drivers were the main causes of the 971 accidents during that period as they were responsible for 43% and 29% respectively.
 
A traffic police report released on Monday showed 135 people were seriously injured in the accidents while hundreds others suffered from medium and light injuries.
 
The report showed the death toll in the first half of this year was below the 173 casualties recorded in the same period of 2013 while serious injuries also slumped by nearly 22% from 173 and accidents by 8% from 1,061.
Police attributed the declined to improved road security, and better surveillance and driver’s awareness.
 
“This improvement was a result of an integrated plan enforced by the police to educate drivers on road rules, curb speed and ensure better control of roads,” Abu Dhabi traffic police chief Brigadier Hussein Al Harthi said.
 
He said the plan, which is updated every year, has largely paid off in the past five years, with the number of casualties reduced by 29% and deaths per 100,000 by 34%.
Serious injuries have also been cut by 24% and road mishaps by 33%, he added.

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