Young drivers cause 46 per cent accidents

The number of traffic accidents involving drivers of age groups ranging from 18 to 30 constituted 46 per cent of the total road incidents last year, said Brigadier Eng. Hussein Ahmed Al Harthi, Director of Traffic and Patrols Directorate in Abu Dhabi, Police.

He stressed the importance of raising a sense of awareness on traffic safety among this important category in society through effective initiatives like social networking sites.

“Accidents committed by young motorists varied from pedestrians being run over, collision and vehicles getting flipped over, resulting in the death of 132 young persons and serious injuries to 168 others,” he said.

According to Brig. Al Harthi the foremost causes which led to these tragic accidents were speeding, negligence, jumping the red signal, not keeping sufficient distance between the vehicles and inattentiveness.

Speaking on the occasion of the Arab Traffic Week themed ‘My Safety, My Responsibility’ being observed from May 4 to 10, he said: “The Traffic and Patrols directorate pays great attention to providing traffic safety and security for families, by implementing a comprehensive strategy in the fields of awareness, discipline and traffic engineering, which contributed in reducing the number of deaths and traffic accidents over the last two years, in rates that surpassed the targeted ones.

“The directorate had enhanced the traffic awareness through the Abu Dhabi Traffic programme on social networking sites with the aim of upgrading drivers’ attitude in general, and the young among them in particular, as well as opening channels of interaction and dialogue with them.

He said the directorate had launched a slew of initiatives on traffic awareness to encourage the youth to observe traffic rules and follow safe driving.

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