Pedestrian deaths on Dubai roads drop by 76% in 12 years

Dubai - The RTA plans to build another 34 footbridges between 2021-2026, which will bring the total number of pedestrian bridges to 150.

Pedestrian fatalities in Dubai have dropped by 76 per cent between 2007 and 2019, according to a new report by Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
The authority noted that the number of cases per 100,000 of population dropped from 9.5 cases to 0.59 cases during this time - and credited the positive statistics to the construction of more footbridges around the emirate.
"The number of footbridges constructed in Dubai soared from 13 bridges in 2006 to 116 bridges in 2020," said Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA.
As a result, traffic safety performance indicators and targets reflect a drop in pedestrian fatalities on streets that used to have high run-over accidents.

"The number of traffic-related fatalities on Sheikh Zayed Road dropped from five cases in 2018 to one case in 2019," he noted. "The number of pedestrian fatalities dropped from four cases to one case on Emirates Road, and from three cases to zero case at Al Quoz Industrial Area during the same period."
In the last two years, the RTA completed construction of three pedestrian bridges - on Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Al Khawaneej and Al Marabi' streets.

Al Tayer stated that the assessment of the impact of pedestrian bridges constructed on eight key streets of Dubai during three years before and three years after the construction of such bridges showed a drop in the number of pedestrian fatalities in the vicinity of those bridges from four cases to zero case. "The number of run-over accidents also dropped from twenty to one accident only," he said.
 
RTA target is zero-fatality rate
According to the report, the RTA plans to build another 34 footbridges between 2021-2026, which will bring the total number of pedestrian bridges to 150.
In 2020 and 2021, it will construct seven more such bridges at the following locations:

* King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Street
* Latifa bin Hamdan Street
* Khalid bin Al Waleed Street
* Al Asayel Street (two bridges)
* Al Awir Street
* Baniyas Street
* Al Khawaneej Street

Specific standards are adopted to determine the locations of pedestrian bridges in Dubai, according to Al Tayer.
"Traffic studies conducted address the intensity of traffic, number of pedestrian accidents and fatalities, speed limit, number of lanes, people movement between the two sides of the road, and the nearest pedestrian crossing and bus stops.

"Consideration is also given to areas where entities and retailers are abundant, and areas witnessing frequent run-over accidents. Depending on the findings of such studies, traffic solutions are taken, be it pedestrian bridges, pedestrian crossing fitted with signals or speed-calming devices among others," he said.
The RTA targets a zero-fatality rate to rank Dubai amongst the world's safest cities in traffic safety by 2021.
Al Tayer called on Dubai's citizens, residents and visitors to use designated pedestrian bridges and subways when crossing streets.
He also called on motorists to observe speed limits and slow down when approaching pedestrian areas for their safety and the safety of road users.

• Dubai