16 killed in UAE road crashes during Ramadan

Abu Dhabi - Traffic authorities blame most of the accidents on drivers' failure to abide by traffic regulations.

Road crashes during the first 15 days of Ramadan have killed 16 people and caused injuries to 136 others across the UAE, official figures show.

Latest figures from the Traffic Coordination Directorate at the Ministry of Interior showed that the fatalities were recorded in 111 major crashes on various roads of the country since the beginning of the holy month.

According to authorities, there has been a 38 percent decrease in road deaths this Ramadan compared to the 26 deaths registered in the same period in 2017.

The number of injuries also reduced from 237 recorded in 2017 to 136 injuries in this year's Ramadan.

Traffic authorities have blamed most of the accidents on drivers' failure to abide by traffic regulations.

The statistics showed that 38 accidents resulted from sudden deviation or change of lanes while 16 crashes were caused by tailgating.

Drivers' inattentiveness caused 14 accidents while recklessness caused 12 of the major crashes recorded across the country.

Traffic authorities said that 31 accidents resulted from other reasons.

Colonel Abdullah Al Kaabi, Deputy Director General of Traffic Coordination at the Ministry of Interior said: "The failure by drivers to comply with the traffic rules and regulations led to the occurrence of most of the incidents during Ramadan."

Some accidents in Ramadan are also blamed on drivers' inattentiveness due to fatigue or drowsiness.

According to traffic authorities, it is very risky for a motorist to drive while tired as fatigue leads to him falling asleep or losing focus thereby causing accident.

Police had earlier said that being fatigued is one of the key factors that affect a driver's ability to drive safely and was a contributing factor in many of the road traffic accidents especially on highways.

Motorists especially those who drive for long hours, have been advised to park their cars in a safe place on the side of the road and get some rest if they feel exhausted or sleepy.

Drivers who rush home to break their daily fast have also been urged to drive with extra care and to slow down to prevent accidents.

Authorities also urged drivers to give priority to pedestrians and avoid speeding while passing through residential neighbourhoods.

Traffic officers have advised motorists to pay close attention to driving, watch their way, abide by the speed limits on roads and fasten the seatbelt which could provide invaluable safety in the event of a crash.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Ramadan News
• Abu Dhabi
• Dubai