Traffic violations and accidents in Abu Dhabi increased considerably on the first day of Ramadan. Inattentive driving and reckless driving behavior of motorists on the first day of Ramadan in Abu Dhabi caused 6 serious road accidents. Motorists were booked for multiple violations and charged with heavy fines. As a result, traffic authorities have increased the monitoring of all the major roads in order to catch the offenders and have also issued advisories on driving carefully in Ramadan.
Also read: New Research Reveals Critical Facts about Driving in Ramadan
Official Statement about the Traffic Violations on the First Day of Ramadan
Motorists have committed around 1,394 traffic violations on the first day of Ramadan, which clearly represents the reckless mindset of the offenders. Despite the warnings issued by traffic authorities before the start of Ramadan, motorists have failed to maintain discipline on the roads, which is a big road safety concern for authorities in Abu Dhabi.
The Director of Traffic and Patrols Department of Abu Dhabi Police, Brigadier Khalifa Mohammad Al Khaili provided the details of the violations committed by motorists and the traffic fines issued on the first day of Ramadan in Abu Dhabi.
The details on the fines issued to motorists for committing serious traffic violations are given below:
- 134 fines were issued for over-speeding
- 82 fines were issued for driving without wearing seatbelts
- 35 fines were issued for using mobile phone while driving
- 148 fines were issued for causing a serious traffic jam
- 38 fines were issued to the vehicles blocking the way of other vehicles
All these dangerous traffic violations resulted in six road accidents in which 12 motorists got seriously injured. The poor driving culture exhibited by motorists also caused serious congestions on multiple roads that added to the frustration of motorists. A total of 50 Emergency Points have been set in Abu Dhabi to deal with emergency situations across the emirate.
Also read: Black Points over Minor Traffic Violations to be revoked in Abu Dhabi
Why Traffic Violations Increase in Ramadan?
Traffic violations and traffic congestions have increased not only in Abu Dhabi, but in Dubai and Sharjah as well since the start of Ramadan. The traffic authorities and automotive experts have analyzed the situation and suggested a few reasons for increased traffic violations in the month of Ramadan.
According to the authorities and experts, a majority of fasting motorists feel sleepy and exhausted while driving and their frustration becomes a reason for many dangerous situations on the roads. Most of the car accidents in Ramadan are caused by inattentive driving due to fatigue and lack of sleep.
Office timings change in Ramadan and adapting to the new routine and adjusting the sleeping time accordingly can always disrupt the sleep cycle. Fasting in extremely hot and humid conditions of the UAE can cause low energy levels and dehydration among motorists, which is one of the major reasons behind inattentive driving during Ramadan. Motorists also commit traffic violations when they try to drive too fast in the rush hours in order to reach their home or iftar parties on time.
Tips for Motorists to Drive Safely in Ramadan
A bit of caution and care is required from motorists to drive safely in Ramadan and to avoid all the dangerous traffic violations that can have fatal consequences. Motorists must be aware of the fact that traffic authorities have increased their monitoring and surveillance efforts on all the important roads and assuming that a traffic violation will go unnoticed has become almost impossible now.
Listed below could be some beneficial tips for motorists to drive safely in Ramadan:
- Always allow yourself some extra time to reach your destination.
- Increase the intake of water in Ramadan and eat healthy food to maintain energy levels.
- Manage sleep timings properly to avoid fatigue and restlessness.
- Avoid tailgating at all costs as fatigue and restlessness that results from fasting slows down your response time while driving, so driving too close to the vehicle ahead can be extremely dangerous. Tailgating also disrupts the flow of traffic and causes congestions.
- Don’t jump the red signal as a number of accidents occur in Ramadan when motorists try to rush to their destination by jumping the red signal.
Along with these tips, motorists must also practice the real spirit of Ramadan that is to remain patient and considerate towards others. This is how serious traffic violations can be avoided and road safety can be improved in the UAE.
One of the ways to commute safely in Ramadan is by opting for a car that has better safety features that can assist the driver in difficult driving conditions. For example, car safety features like Forward Collision Control, Emergency Braking Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Driver Attention Assist can help avoid a dangerous road accident while driving in Ramadan.
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