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According to statistics recently released by the Abu Dhabi Police Traffic and Patrols Directorate, a significant improvement in traffic safety in the emirate of Abu Dhabi during the past five years. The number of traffic accident fatalities dropped from 409 to 289 fatalities, a drop of 30%; serious injuries dropped from 483 to 366, a drop of 25%; the number of pedestrian fatalities decreased by 60 %, from 118 to 48 fatalities; while the number of traffic accidents with injuries decreased by 33 %, from 3086 to 2071 accidents. These numbers have been registered despite the increase in the number of registered vehicles during the aforementioned period by 45 %, from 601,208 to 873,243 vehicles, as well as the pile-up accidents that occurred last year, which include workers bus in Al Ain and the Hamim area accident in the Western Region, which caused 29 deaths.
Brigadier Eng. Hussein Ahmed Al Harithi, Director of Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police attributed this improvement to a number of factors, including the comprehensive traffic safety plan adopted in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in areas of traffic control, awareness, education, and engineering; as well as implementing various methodologies and initiatives, speed management strategy in cooperation with partners, and the radar control system used to catch drivers who speed up to jump a red light in Abu Dhabi.
Brigadier Al Harithi reviewed the positive indicators that have been achieved over the past year. Statistics have shown that death rates among citizens due to traffic accidents have decreased by 11%; the number of pedestrian fatalities has improved by 31%; the number of accidents caused by red light jumping has decreased by 54%, and the number of fatalities resulting from excessive speeding by 44%. The average of traffic accidents per 100,000 inhabitants has improved by 3%; the number of traffic accidents fatalities across Abu Dhabi decreased by 53%; and serious injuries has also decreased by 15%; while the number of fatalities in Al Ain has also dropped by 8%.
Brigadier Al Harithi also indicated the main causes of road accidents during last year: “According to statistics, sudden swerving was the key reason behind traffic accidents, followed by speeding and lack of attention while driving; jumping red traffic signals; misjudgment of road users and failure to comply with lane rules; failure to leave sufficient safe distance between vehicles; and other reasons”. He noted that the reasons leading to traffic accidents are reviewed in order to find the appropriate solutions in the upcoming period.
Furthermore, he highlighted the ongoing projects being implemented by Abu Dhabi Police’s Traffic and Patrols Directorate, with a view to enhance traffic safety levels and improve traffic-related work fields in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. These projects include the Smart Traffic Systems Center project, which features advanced systems supported by artificial intelligence systems and geographic information systems (GIS), such as the patrols tracking and deployment systems; the traffic safety diversion program; the traffic accident analysis system; the traffic management systems; and the smart traffic awareness system.
“A new comprehensive automated traffic control system is also being developed to capture traffic law violators. Locations will be selected and distributed across the road network in the emirate, using an advanced mechanism to determine the risk levels on roads every 5 km based on roads network’s geographic information system. The exact mechanisms and control systems required to achieve the highest levels of safety and to attain integration between different systems (fixed and mobile automated traffic control system and on site patrols) are then determined,” he said.
He also indicated that infrared speed cameras are being installed at intersections to catch drivers who speed up to jump a red light. As part of the program, 150 light-controlled junctions will be fitted with surveillance cameras in Abu Dhabi, out of which, 50 are already installed.
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