Abu Dhabi Police have called on drivers to be more considerate towards other road users to help reduce the number of fatal accidents in the emirate.
The force made the call on its Facebook page to mark the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which is observed on Sunday, November 21.
“Abu Dhabi Police calls upon drivers and road users to co-operate in implementing traffic law and regulations to reduce the recurrence of traffic accidents, such as respecting the speed limit, avoiding the use of a mobile phone while driving, leaving an adequate safety distance between vehicles, and enhancing safety for drivers and road users.”
The force said regular campaigns were being run to shed more light on the seriousness of offences leading to fatal accidents and how efforts could reduce further tragedies on the road.
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which is endorsed by the United Nations, started in 2005 and takes place on the third Sunday of November each year.
The event is described by the UN as the “appropriate acknowledgement for victims of road traffic injuries and their families”.
According to Road Safety UAE, a safety portal, the UAE recorded 354 road deaths in 2020, a reduction from the 448 deaths in 2019.
But Thomas Edelmann, the organisation’s managing director, said there was every indication the figures for 2021 would be higher.
“The number was significantly lower for 2020 because that was the year of the pandemic,” he said.
“But the number of cars on UAE roads is increasing and so are the number of insurance claims and drivers are falling back into bad habits.”
