DUBAI // Fatal traffic accidents in Dubai have fallen by 15 per cent in the first nine months of 2008 from the comparable period last year. The Roads and Transport Authority said there were 196 deaths on the emirate's roads between January and September, compared with 231 in the first nine months of 2007. Of those, 73 cases involved pedestrians being killed, down 25 per cent from 97 cases in 2007, although the number of pedestrians injured by cars increased to 580 this year from 540 last year. Maitha bin Adai, the head of the traffic and roads department at the RTA, said safety initiatives including new pedestrian crossings, the introduction of penalty points and road safety awareness campaigns were responsible for the drop in deaths. "The RTA strategy aims to keep the drop in traffic accidents and the resulting loss of life and property to the lowest rate possible," she said. "The traffic points campaign launched by the RTA and Dubai Police last July made a substantial contribution to [the decline in] the accident rate. "The RTA is also focusing on awareness campaigns and training workshops targeting youths and lorry drivers." She said a series of campaigns would try to cut traffic jams, reckless driving and speeding, while physical improvements, such as bridges and fences, were also being built. "Improvements have been made in more than 100 locations, enhancing the traffic flow and safety," she said. She also praised co-ordination between the police and the RTA. "Such co-operation is key to the success of efforts made to enhance road traffic safety and reduce accidents." @Email:gmccleneghan@thenational.ae
