More than three million cars on UAE roads, report finds

Report shows decrease in road deaths in UAE over the past decade, despite population growth

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, May 13, 2015:  
Cars flow in thickening traffic on Sheikh Zayed road in Abu Dhabi during the beginning of rush hour on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. A recent yougov survey-it says commute times in Abu Dhabi are down, and drivers are happier, but the roads still have a lot of inattentive drivers. (Silvia Razgova / The National)  (Usage: May 13, 2015, Section: NA, Reporter: ) *** Local Caption ***  SR-150513-traffic17.jpg
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There are almost three million cars on UAE roads, a World Health Organisation report has revealed.

According to the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018, the total registered vehicles was almost 3.4 million, with cars and light vehicles accounting for the largest proportion of the figure.

The report also said that there were 725 deaths from road traffic accidents in 2016, of which more than three quarters of the victims were men, according to figures from the Ministry of Interior.

The largest number of deaths were among car drivers and pedestrians, and there were around five deaths recorded per 100,000 people.

Road deaths have dropped significantly since 2007, when there were almost 17 deaths per 100,000 people; however, WHO has targeted the UAE with getting the current figure down to three.

The report pointed out that across the world, the number of road traffic deaths has continued to increase, although it has remained relative to population growth.

There are 1.35 million deaths on the world’s roads each year, meaning that almost 3,700 people die each day.

Road traffic accidents are the leading killer of children and young adults worldwide, and the eighth largest killer of people of all ages.

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Read more:

Saudi Arabia's road traffic deaths five times higher than UAE

The UAE is gradually winning the fight against bad driving, road safety event hears

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The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, committed to by world leaders, includes a target of halving road traffic deaths by 2020.

Combating speeding drink-driving, as well as promoting seat-belt use and the wearing of helmets among cyclists and motorcyclists are among the key areas for improvement.

The report also revealed that the UAE is among the hardest places to get away with speeding, with the highest possible rating of 10 — with eight being categorised as ‘good’ — for the enforcement of road safety laws alongside Ireland, Norway, Oman and Turkmenistan.

The UAE also scored 10s for the enforcement of drink-driving laws, the national motorcycle helmet law and seat-belt law, but scored a seven for child restraint law.

The ratings were assigned by National Data Co-ordinators who compiled the report after being nominated by their governments.