Traffic authorities in Sharjah have revealed the number one reason behind road deaths recorded in 2019. According to Sharjah Police, speeding has been identified as the most common cause of road deaths in the emirate. Speeding is a dangerous traffic violation that can put the safety of the speeding driver and other commuters at serious risk. Authorities have launched several campaigns to discourage motorists from committing speeding violations and while a significant improvement has been observed in the driving behavior of motorists, the reckless driving behavior of a few motorists is still a cause for concern.
Several other initiatives have also been taken to reduce speeding violations in the emirate and across the UAE. The most prominent initiative in this regard was taken three years ago when the Federal Traffic Law was amended. In the amended traffic law, the penalties for speeding violations were increased significantly to discourage motorists from committing dangerous violations. Motorists will now face up to AED 3,000 fine and other traffic penalties for violating speed limits on the UAE roads.
Official Statement
Major General Saif Al Zeri Al Shamsi, commander-in-chief of Sharjah Police, said that speeding was the main reason behind road deaths in most of the accidents that took place in Sharjah last year. He also revealed that sudden swerving, distracted driving and jumping the red signal were the other major reasons behind road deaths recorded in the emirate.
According to Major General Saif Al Zeri Al Shamsi, the overall road safety situation in 2019 improved as compared to 2018. He mentioned that 62 road deaths were recorded in Sharjah during 2019 as compared to 83 road deaths in 2018 and 105 road deaths in 2017. This is an encouraging development for traffic authorities in Sharjah who have taken several initiatives to improve the road safety situation during the last few years.
Steps Taken to Improve Road Safety Situation in Sharjah
Major General Saif Al Zeri Al Shamsi attributed the drop in road deaths to an “internal strategy of ensuring road safety to contain road deaths.” This strategy involved increasing the number of traffic patrols, launching more awareness campaigns, and distributing informational material through media outlets. According to Sharjah Police, the awareness programmes of traffic authorities have targeted a large number of road users. Through most of these programmes, authorities have aimed at creating awareness about the risks of over-speeding on busy roads and highways. Major General Saif Al Zeri Al Shamsi said that Sharjah Police will make every effort to achieve the target of making the UAE the safest country in the world.
5 Roads where Most Road Deaths Have Been Recorded in Sharjah
Sharjah Police has also revealed the names of five major roads where most of the dangerous road accidents have been recorded. These roads include Al Dhaid Road, Al Ittihad Road, Emirates Road, Mleiha Road and Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Road. The surveillance of Mleiha and Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed roads has been increased significantly as these two roads have registered the highest rate of accidents. Authorities have installed several radars and surveillance cameras on these roads to improve the road safety situation.
Traffic Penalties for Speeding in the UAE
Motorists in Sharjah and across the UAE must be very careful as they will have to face some serious penalties for speeding. In 2017, the traffic law of the UAE was amended with an aim to improve the road safety situation. Some of the significant amendments included a drastic increase in speeding penalties. A new incremental penalty system for speeding violations was introduced in the UAE based on the extent of speeding committed beyond the speed limit of a road.
The table given below shows the penalties for speeding violations according to the new traffic law:
Drive Safely Motorists!
Authorities have advised motorists to comply with the traffic rules and follow road safety protocols. Speeding and other dangerous violations must be avoided at all costs as these violations can increase the risk of road deaths. Motorists must adopt a defensive driving approach and follow the speed limits to avoid traffic penalties and dangerous road accidents.
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