DUBAI: UAE’s roads have become safer overall with people thinking that speeding has decreased, according to the UAE Road Safety Monitor.
The report was released to coincide with the 33rd Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Traffic Week.
Driving experience has improved, the commute time has decreased and fewer vehicles are speeding. Trends on other misbehavior on the roads, such as tailgating, lane swerving and distracted driving, also showed stable trends, according to the UAE Road Safety Monitor.
The fourth cycle of this perception study of the UAE motorists, commissioned by QIC Insured, (Qatar Insurance Company) and Road Safety UAE, measured the motorists’ perception for the last six months. The study was conducted by YouGov in February 2017, and it is based on the views of a representative sample of 1,008 UAE residents.
“While the observed trends are positive or stable, further efforts in education, enforcement and infrastructure improvement are needed by all the stakeholders concerned, public and private entities and the media,” Thomas Edelmann, Road Safety UAE’s founder and Managing Director remarked.
Frederik Bisbjerg, Executive Vice-President Mena Retail, QIC Insured, stated, “QIC Insured actively supports the creation of safer roads, in line with the objectives of UAE Vision 2021.”
The growing majority (83 per cent) stated they ‘strongly agree’ the UAE’s road traffic infrastructure has improved in the last six months, resulting in higher driving enjoyment (56 per cent) for the respondents.
The following perception dimensions – despite enjoying improved or stable trends – are still on high absolute levels and a lot needs to be done to decrease those levels:
- Dangerous Driving decreased (-5 per cent), still, 49 per cent stated traffic had become more dangerous.
- Speeding enjoyed a drop (-2 per cent), however, the majority 62 per cent saw more speeding vehicles.
- Distracted Drivers at 75 per cent.
- Tailgating at 68 per cent and
- Lane Swerving with 67 per cent
Fewer motorists (-2 per cent) complained about longer commute times (61 per cent).
– By Sheena Amos