Road traffic deaths and casualties registered in the UAE, during the first quarter of the year decreased respectively by 6.3 per cent and 3.1 per cent, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Interior.

Traffic accidents that occurred in the same period this year decreased by 4.3 per cent compared to the same period of 2013, said Brigadier Gaith Hassan Al Zaabi, director general of the Traffic Coordination Department at the Ministry of Interior.

Statistics showed that the total number of deaths recorded during the first quarter of the year was 181 compared to 192 during the same period last year, a decrease of 11 deaths, i.e. 6 per cent. The number of casualties resulting from traffic accidents during the first quarter of the year was 1984 casualties, compared to 2048 during the same period of 2013, a decrease of 64 injuries i.e. 3.1 per cent.

Statistics also showed a fall in traffic accidents nationwide to 1295 accidents during the first quarter of the year, compared to 1353 during the same period last year, a decrease of 58 accidents, i.e. 4.3 per cent.

According to the statistics, 50 less hit and collision accidents were recorded during the first quarter of the year, which witnessed, 797 accidents compared to 847 during the same period of 2013, a decrease by 5.9 per cent nationwide.

Statistics showed that sudden lane changing was the main cause of accidents in the first quarter of the year, leading to 258 accidents. The second cause was misjudgment of road users (176 accidents). In the third place came failure to leave sufficient safety distance between vehicles (135 accidents). Over speeding was in fourth place, causing 113 accidents. – TradeArabia News Service