A new survey has been conducted by RoadSafetyUAE in collaboration with i-Insured to understand how motorists feel about the current road safety situation in the UAE. This is the seventh cycle of “Road Safety Monitor,” an independent study that has been regularly conducted by RoadSafetyUAE since 2015. The sixth cycle of this study was conducted in March 2018, which showed an improvement in road safety situation as motorists felt satisfied with the efforts made by authorities to improve the road infrastructure.
The seventh cycle, however, has shown a complete reversal of the positive trends that were observed in the sixth cycle. Many motorists who participated in the new survey expressed their frustration on observing an unfortunate rise in the number of reckless driving incidents. According to most of the participants, roads in the UAE had become dangerous during the last six months mainly because of the reckless driving behavior of motorists.
Details of the Survey
The new road safety survey was commissioned by RoadSafetyUAE in collaboration with i-Insured. The survey consisted of a representative sample of 1,016 UAE residents and respondents provided their valuable feedback on the current road safety situation in the country. While this survey didn’t show the exact figures for road accidents, road deaths or traffic violations committed by motorists, it provided a reflection of the impact of efforts made by all stakeholders in improving the road safety situation.
According to Frederik Bisbjerg, Executive Vice President of Retail with i-Insured, perceptions have a great significance and they often have a strong correlation with the figures revealed by traffic authorities for the number of road accidents and road deaths recorded.
Also read: New Survey Reveals How Motorists Feel about the Current Road Safety Situation in the UAE
Results of the Survey
According to the findings of the new survey, a large number of motorists feel that road safety situation in the UAE has deteriorated at the hands of distracted drivers during the last six months. Besides distracted driving, over-speeding and sudden swerving were identified as the other major reasons behind dangerous road accidents in the UAE by the respondents of the survey.
The findings of the seventh cycle of the Road Safety Monitor Study are given below:
- 69% of the motorists believed that they felt an increase in distracted drivers on the UAE roads.
- 60% of the motorists felt that they observed an increase in sudden swerving incidents.
- 59% of the motorists observed an increase in tailgating incidents.
- 57% of the motorists observed an increase in over-speeding incidents.
- 55% of the motorists said that there commute time to and from work has increased despite a massive improvement in roads and transport infrastructure.
- 40% of the motorists felt that the roads in the UAE have become more dangerous.
- The survey revealed that one in five UAE residents had an accident in the past six months.
These figures show a striking contrast in perceptions of motorists regarding the deteriorating road safety situation in the country from the last survey conducted in the month of March this year. The perceptions of motorists have changed significantly for almost all dangerous traffic violations, which clearly shows that the driving habits of a large number of drivers have not improved despite all the efforts made by authorities to educate motorists about road safety practices.
Also read: A New Road Safety Campaign Launched by Abu Dhabi Police
Motorists Satisfied with the World-class Road Infrastructure of the UAE
One aspect where the new survey showed positive trends in comparison to the previous surveys was the increased satisfaction of motorists with the world-class road infrastructure of the UAE. A total of 83% of motorists felt that the road infrastructure has improved significantly in the country, which has played a critical role in managing heavy traffic. Additionally, 58% of motorists also believed that the driving experience on the UAE roads had become more enjoyable than before.
Thomas Edelmann, the Managing Director of the RoadSafetyUAE said that the efforts of authorities to improve the road infrastructure are commendable. However, he mentioned that a lot still needs to be done to improve the overall road safety situation in the country. He emphasized the importance of the continuation of launching awareness campaigns to educate motorists about safe driving practices.
Key Takeaways from the New Survey
The new survey commissioned by RoadSafetyUAE in collaboration with i-Insured underscores the importance of raising awareness amongst motorists to follow traffic rules. As per the perceptions of motorists, the road safety situation has deteriorated during the last six months mainly due to the reckless driving behavior of motorists. Distracted driving has been identified as a major reason behind dangerous traffic violations committed by motorists.
The findings of the new survey clearly reflect the current road safety situation in the country. The road safety situation is improving at a fairly slow pace despite an advanced road infrastructure and untiring efforts of traffic authorities. The traffic figures for dangerous traffic violations committed by motorists highlight the need for further improvement in the road safety situation. A mutual effort of all stakeholders is the need of the hour to bring any drastic improvement in road safety situation.
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