UAE traffic fatalities on the decline

Sudden lane changes were responsible for the largest number of accidents during the first quarter of the year.

According to the Ministry of Interior’s traffic coordination department, road deaths between January and March fell 21 per cent, while injuries dropped 14.8 per cent.

The number of accidents fell 8.1 per cent, from 1,340 to 1,232.

In total, there were 147 deaths this year compared with 186 in the same period the year before. There were 1,684 injuries compared with 1,976 a year ago.

Sudden lane changes during the first quarter accounted for the largest number of accidents at 245.

Driver error was second (156), followed by tailgating (151), negligence and lack of attention (125) and poor lane discipline (98).

Other breaches that led to accidents included speeding, entering a road before it was clear, jumping red lights and failing to give way to pedestrians.

Brig Ghaith Al Zaabi, director general of the traffic coordination department, credited the drop to police efforts to improve traffic safety.

The drop in fatalities was an ongoing trend with last year’s figures dropping 6.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2013.