Extracts:
In the United Arab Emirates, there are 21 traffic deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 15 in the United States and around six in Britain. Saudi Arabia has a rate as high as 30 deaths according to some figures.The emphasis is mine.
Even worse are the number of deaths per 100,000 vehicles: around 116 in the UAE, six times the U.S. rate, according to a study done by University of Nottingham in England.
The Nottingham study blamed 62 percent of the crashes on a combination of reckless driving and speeding. It said reckless local driving habits had not changed despite rapid modernization in the Gulf.
. . .
A video aired at the Gulf Traffic Convention showed dozens of children orphaned by traffic wrecks marching recently in the Emirates capital Abu Dhabi. The children wore black mourning robes, and some carried banners reading, “They were killed by speed.”
“We lost our fathers,” the children chanted. “Why didn’t he go slowly?”
. . .
“We have adopted a transportation system that is killing people,” said Abdulrahman al-Janahi. “Is this sustainable? It’s a transport system with no mercy.”
But his proclamations appeared to stand little chance of catching on.
Across the Dubai convention center from the road safety gathering was the far more popular Middle East International Motor Show, where throngs ogled Ferraris, Porsches and customized Mercedes sports cars.
It's not the system, it's the behavior. Reckless drivers seem to be counting on mercy, when the only solution is for them to change their behavior.
Posts
2 comments:
How about a list where we could add some of the examples of really stupid driving habbits.
My first entry would be the alternative entrance to Mall of the Emirates: Drive down Al Barsha road by cutting accross the traffic merging from Umm Suqeim and from Jebel Ali via Sheikh Zayed road, reverse back down the slipway from SZ road to Al Barsha so that you can enter the road that goes into the mall's parking. Bonus points for doing this during peak traffic.
Dubai's bad drivers are scum
Why don't the police do anything to apply the law?
How is the country supposed to grow when no effort is made whatsoever to enforce safe driving standards?
Post a Comment
NOTE: By making a post/comment on this blog you agree that you are solely responsible for its content and that you are up to date on the laws of the country you are posting from and that your post/comment abides by them.
To read the rules click here
If you would like to post content on this blog click here