UAE roads to have chevron-markers for safe traffic distance

UAE traffic authorities have approved a plan to place chevron markings to set distance between vehicles on key motorways to curb accidents.

The Federal Traffic Council (FTC) agreed on the plan at its meeting in Dubai on Wednesday, when it also discussed a proposal to extend the registration and licensing period for new vehicles to four years.

The chevron markings, which are enforced in many European countries, are designed to alert drivers on busy motorways to leave enough distance between each other to avert crashes, FTC chairman and assistant Dubai police commander in chief for operations, Major General Mohammed Al Zafin, told Emarat Alyoum daily.

He said the chevron markings would be placed shortly on one motorway in Abu Dhabi on a trial basis to check whether such a system works in the UAE.
“We agreed at our meeting yesterday on the chevron markings on motorways…these will set the required distance between cars on those roads…we hope this will curb accidents as studies show that failure by drivers to leave enough distance is one of the most serious traffic offences that cause scores of casualties every year,” he said.

Traffic police sources said the chevron system is enforced in Britain and other European countries and that it has proved to be effective in preventing major accidents.

Drivers in Britain are required to keep apart two chevrons on motorways, a distance of nearly 100 metres.

Zafin said the rate of road deaths in the UAE has declined to 5.7 per 100,000 this year but he did not provide figures for last year.