Ramadan rush hour: Dubai on 'go slow' mode

‘Go slow’ is the message that Dubai Traffic chief is urging the emirate’s residents to adhere to, as the holy month of Ramadan is to commence in less than 10 days.

With nearly 15-hour fasting days, Director of Traffic Police Major General Mohammad Saif Al Zafeen is appealing to commuters to curb road rage and over-speeding, which have in the past turned the roads into a battleground during the Holy Month.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Al Zafeen said: “We need to adhere to more safety measures during the fasting month, especially if you are behind the wheel during iftar time.

“It is a common reaction: you are hungry, iftar is a short while away, your blood sugar is dropping and you think pressing on the accelerator will get you home faster. But that’s also how accidents happen.”

Al Zafeen recalled some of the “horrific injuries” he has witnessed in his lifetime that have resulted from this very chain reaction.

“Please do not over-speed,” he urged. “There is a family, children waiting at home for you. Pay heed to that.”

Last year, two people died in Dubai during the last four days of Ramadan, with 3,605 accidents reported during the first 10 days of the holy month.

Over-speeding was cited as the main cause of the accidents.

According to figures released by Dubai Traffic Police in June, the first five months of this year has already witnessed a higher incidence of traffic accidents in the emirate compared to the corresponding period in 2012.

In total, 1,160 traffic accidents were reported between January and May of this year, resulting in 66 fatalities; in comparison, 637 accidents were reported in 2012 that resulted in 38 fatalities during the same period.

According to Al Zafeen, 21 pedestrians died and 20 lives were claimed as a result of drivers suddenly swerving their vehicles at excessive speed in the first five months of this year.

Nine fatalities were the result of insufficient distance between vehicles in moving traffic.

Last year’s fatality count due to traffic accidents was 123, with 23 accidents caused as a result of over-speeding, leading to three lives lost; driving through red-lights led to 79 accidents and resulted in three deaths.

Excessive lane changing led to two fatalities.

In 2012, road accidents left 400 people injured, of which 50 were serious, the authorities reported.

Meanwhile, the authorities are committed in the drive to reach zero fatalities due to traffic accidents by year 2020.

Cut speed limits

To achieve this target, earlier this year Dubai’s traffic head proposed a new plan to slash speed limits on the emirate’s major highways.

In an earlier interview, Al Zafeen said: “I have put forth a proposal to decrease the current speed limit on major highways across the emirate, from 120km per hour to 110kmph.

“This applies to all the arteries, including Sheikh Zayed Road, Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road.”

Al Zafeen said the reason behind this proposal was to curb reckless speeding on the major highways, which is the number one killer in traffic offenses.

Also under the scanner is the grace speed, which currently permits vehicles on certain highways to accelerate an additional 20km over the posted limit without being flashed by speed radars and cameras, and therefore not being fined. 

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