Deaths and injuries caused by road accidents in the UAE during the first quarter of the year decreased by 21 per cent and 14.8 per cent respectively, according to latest figures.

Statistics released by the Traffic Coordination Directorate General at the Ministry of Interior said that road accidents that occurred in the same period this year dropped by 8.1 per cent compared to the same period of 2014.

The total number of deaths recorded during the first quarter of the year was 147 compared to 186 during the same period last year, while the number of injuries resulting from traffic accidents recorded during the first quarter of the year was 1,684 compared to 1,976 during the same time period in 2014.

The statistics also showed a decline 0f 8.1 per cent in traffic accidents nationwide to 1,232 during the first quarter of the year, compared to 1,340 during the same period last year.

Moreover, statistics indicated that sudden swerving was the main cause of accidents in the first quarter of the year, leading to 245 accidents, that is 19,89 per cent of the total number of accidents.

The second cause was misjudgment of road users with 156 accidents, amounting to 12.66 per cent of accidents.

Failure to maintain a sufficient safe distance between vehicles caused 12 per cent of accidents with 151 accidents, followed by neglect and lack of attention on the road with 125 accidents or 10.15 per cent. Sudden lane change caused 7.95 per cent of accidents with 98 accidents, followed by exceeding legal speed limit (excessive speeding), which caused 6.74 per cent of the accidents, with 83 per cent.

Failure to comply with lane rules, jumping red lights, and not giving the priority to pedestrians caused 6.57 per cent, 4.30 per cent and 3.25 per cent of the accidents, with 81, 53 and 40 accidents respectively. The first quarter of the year registered also 200 accidents due to other reasons.

Brigadier Ghaith Hassan Al Zaabi, director General of the Traffic Coordination Department at the Ministry of Interior, attributed the decrease in traffic accidents and the related injuries to the efficiency of the measures adopted by the Ministry and the efforts of the police general headquarters and Traffic and Patrols departments and directorates across the country.

“These efforts are in line with the Ministry’s efforts to improve traffic safety, and create a safe traffic environment according to international standards in this field,” he said.

Brigadier Al Zaabi stressed the importance of using the full potential of the various departments, institutions and the various segments of society and their cooperation with the traffic and patrols departments at the countrywide level, in a bid to reduce traffic accidents and their resulting loss in lives and properties.

Brigadier Al Zaabi pointed out that addressing traffic issues is a shared responsibility that requires the joint efforts of all sectors of society. – TradeArabia News Service