Road deaths down 14% in 11 months

The number of people killed in road accidents declined by around 14 per cent in the first 11 months of 2011 while injuries and mishaps were also down, according to traffic police data.

The statistics showed 654 people died as a result of car crashes in the first 11 months of 2011 compared with 759 in the first 11 months of 2010.

A police report carried by the Arabic language daily Al Bayan showed 7,094 people were also injured in the first 11 months of 2011 compared with 8,273 in the same period of last year, a decline of 14 per cent.

The number of road accidents dropped by nearly 7.6 per cent to 6,027 from 6,529 in the same period, the figures showed.

Emiratis accounted for nearly 24 per cent of the total road deaths this year although their casualties were down by 12 per cent from last year.

“The decline in the number of accidents this year was a result of tough penalties, intensified police patrols, the introduction of black points, and continuous awareness drives,” said Brigadier Gaith Al Zaabi, director of the traffic coordination division at the Ministry of Interior.

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