Dehydration and poor car maintenance among reasons for UAE accidents, survey finds

Half of insurance claims for collisions involve drivers aged 30-40

Half of road accidents in the UAE involve drivers aged 30-40 during lunchtime or on the drive home from work. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

A two-hour window from 6pm to 8pm is the peak time for accidents on the UAE's roads during summer, new data has revealed.

According to claims data provided by vehicle insurers Tokio Marine and RoadSafetyUAE, which analysed almost 2,500 insurance claims, 50 per cent of collisions involved drivers aged 30-40 during lunchtime or on the drive home from work.

Dehydration that causes a concentration lapse and road debris forcing cars to swerve were cited as common factors in accidents, as well as motorists failing to keep up with car maintenance and driving in hot weather.

“The hot summer months pose a specific challenge to UAE motorists,” said Takako Matsuo, head of direct business of Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Company.

“We collect a significant amount of claims data which we thoroughly analyse and we wanted to share the key findings to keep everyone safe on the road.”

From July to September last year, 15 per cent of all accidents took place from 6pm-8pm, with 14 per cent happening from noon-2pm.

The early hours from midnight until 8am were the safest times to be out on the roads, when only 9 per cent of road accidents took place.

Insurance figures showed those aged 30-40 contributed to half of all road accidents, with those aged 40-50 the second most likely to be involved in a crash, and involved in 26 per cent of collisions.

“UAE motorists need to be especially careful in the time slot from 12pm-8pm and in particular in the accident peak times 6-8pm and 12-2pm, while 30-40 years old motorists are most prone to accidents,” said Thomas Edelmann, Founder & Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE.

“We cannot let our guard down, as almost 50 per cent of accidents we get involved in are the fault of other road users.”

Police across the country joined forces this summer to launch a safety campaign to reduce the number of road accidents.

The annual Summer Without Accidents initiative sets out to raise awareness of the need to take care behind the wheel, follow traffic regulations and ensure vehicles are well maintained, to prevent unnecessary deaths and injuries.

Although the summer months are traditionally quieter on the roads, due to school holidays and residents travelling abroad for breaks, authorities believe there is no room for complacency.

This is how hot a car can get in 10 minutes