- Measures adopted contributed to a remarkable drop in fatality rates over three years
- Maitha bin Uday: Our Projects translate our vision of Safe and Smooth Transport for all.
Roads & Transport Authority - From inception Road and Transport Authority (RTA) had been keen to have in place public safety measures for all road users in accordance with the best international practices both technically and administratively. The outcome of these measures is now apparent in the positive drop of traffic mortalities to the minimum level since 2005.
Maitha Mohammed bin Udai, CEO of RTA Traffic and Roads Agency, pointed out that the measures adopted have contributed to dropping the number of pedestrian fatalities to the levels that prevailed before 2005, where fatality rate resulting from traffic accidents have dropped as the international rates dropped of 14 death cases for every 100,000 population, i.e. 2.4 death cases for every 10,000 vehicle in 2005. These rates are unprecedented and considered better than the prevailing figures in many other countries.
Bin Udai added: “The number of deaths dropped from 29 deaths in 2007 to 10 cases in 2008 at Sheikh Zayed Road (from Defence Interchange to the Fifth Interchange) due to reduction of speed limit on the road from 120 Km/h to 100 km/h. The Number of deaths on Al Khawaneej Rd also dropped from 7 cases to one case only in 2007 after closing the turning openings and reducing the speed limit from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.
Meanwhile, only one accident was reported on Al Amardi Road in 2007 whereas the death cases were 5 in 2006 before closing the turn opening.
“Traffic accidents and fatalities on Dubai roads had soared during the period from 1997 to 2005, hence it was mandatory for the RTA to live up to its vision of providing Safe and Smooth Transport for All from inception, through undertaking projects that address public safety requirements. In this regard RTA has studied and constructed several strategic projects capable of curbing this dangerous trend; which is the biggest cause of fatal road accidents in the emirate.
“In these projects RTA emphasized the importance of working out a traffic safety strategy in the emirate of Dubai in a well rehearsed manner through examining the problems suffered by road users. In this regard RTA adopted the highest international standards which were met with remarkable successes in traffic safety worldwide. Thanks to the huge efforts made by the competent bodies some positive results have been posted in 2008. For the first time in the last eight years the emirate has witnessed a remarkable improvement judging by the drop in the number of fatalities resulting from traffic accidents in Dubai.
The best global practices have shown that road traffic safety is a problem that cannot be solved by the RTA, Police or any single entity. All countries which have recorded the best road safety levels in the world, such as Sweden, UK, Netherlands and Singapore, have acknowledged the importance of obliging all key players responsible for road traffic safety to coordinate efforts with the concerned bodies -such as the Police, Civil Defence, Ambulance, and Education as well as public & private organizations - to be part of a coordinated work plan.
“Over-speeding ranks among the key factors responsible for immoderate traffic accidents, and RTA therefore is continuously focusing on studying and revising the speed limits on roads which record the highest traffic accident rates. RTA has embarked on “Speed Management Study” undertaken by a world-class consultant.
“RTA is also considering construction several footbridges to keep pace with the continuous demographic growth and had already designed and constructed many walkways; 8 of them had been opened in May 2008. Work is up and running to open 9 more others during this year, over and above 29 footbridges opened this year as part of Dubai Metro Project.
Introducing new clauses to Driving & Traffic Law No. 21/1995 will curb the apathetic attitudes of some pedestrians who cross roads in a haphazard manner. RTA is also continually attending to preparing and staging awareness programs targeting all age groups and nationalities with high emphasis on areas witnessing recurrent traffic accidents. Training and qualification programs are also intensified for drivers with less than two years’ experience. RTA has carried a comprehensive study for training and licensing of new drivers and upon its findings new guidelines will be introduced in the near future.
“RTA has also appointed a consultant to carry out audits on the existing Dubai roads with a view to improving any engineering loophole, if any, and introducing speed limiters measures on roads with high traffic accident frequency. Audits will be extended to cover all new projects to ensure that they conform to the global standards in design and construction with the aim of minimizing traffic accidents and the resulting human losses” concluded Maitha.
