Something remarkable, and very welcome, has happened in Sharjah. The authorities have lowered the speed limits on two major thoroughfares: Maliha Road and Al Quta–Nazwa Road. This follows a review of areas in the emirate where fatal accidents and traffic infringements had occurred. The Sharjah initiative is one of many across the country designed to address the unacceptably high number of road deaths.
Dubai has the aim of zero road deaths by 2020. While that may seem unachievable, it is a laudable and necessary target. The simple fact is that road deaths are preventable if we all drive sensibly. Sadly, some people need to be reminded that driving is a privilege, not a right, and that it comes with responsibilities and penalties.
Speeding does not cause accidents by itself, but it reduces the available response times in case of emergency, and it increases the likelihood of disabling injuries and death when accidents do occur. What Sharjah Police have done is assess individual stretches of road and respond accordingly. This approach should be applied elsewhere, so that all “black spots” are identified and limits are adjusted accordingly. It may be that limits could be safely increased on some roads. Additionally, there needs to be greater clarity concerning the buffers on some motorways that mean the actual speed limit is dramatically higher than the number posted on roadside signs. With new drivers arriving in the country every day, this can cause confusion that leads to accidents.
In any case, addressing speed limits is just one of many steps that can be taken to make roads safer. When it comes to saving lives, no idea should be off the table – from increasing fines to car confiscation, driving bans and jail time for repeat offenders. Lowering the death toll requires input from the authorities who build, manage and police the roads and traffic systems; from those who teach drivers; and everybody who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle. As drivers we must obey the rules, and be more patient and more courteous to other road users. By this time next year we must be able to say proudly that there were far fewer road deaths in 2017 than in 2016.
