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29 March 2024

Abu Dhabi to adjust road speed limits by year-end

Traffic fatalities in Abu Dhabi dropped from 331 in 2009 to 276 so far in 2010. (FILE)

Published
By WAM

Abu Dhabi Police revealed on Sunday a 17 per cent drop in road fatalities in the first nine months of the year in the emirate, bringing the death toll from 331 in 2009 to 276 in 2010.

Colonel Hussein Ahmed Al Harethi, Director of Department of Traffic and Patrols, said the figures showed a major improvement in performance indicators regarding the traffic safety strategy.

He told reporters that his department would adjust speed limits on the emirate's roads by the end of the year.

“The department is joining hands with its stakeholders - Department of Transport, Department of Municipal Affairs, Health Authority Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Education Council - to develop the road safety strategy and define procedures and initiatives that should be adopted to improve safety standards to match the best international benchmarks and position Abu Dhabi as the best in the region and among the world's most recognised in terms of traffic safety,” he added.

“The prime goal is to reduce deaths caused by traffic accidents by 30 per cent by 2022, an achievement that will also lead to a substantial drop in economic losses in connection to road mishaps.”

The key target of the strategy, Colonel Al Harethi said, is to cut rates of serious injuries and fatalities to four per cent per 100,000 persons annually. The target is 20 per cent for the five years 2008-2012 and then findings will be assessed until we reach the zero accident vision.