UAE has faced serious traffic problems in recent times with frustrating traffic jams, increased number of accidents, road fatalities and hike in fuel prices. The traffic congestion in the country is worsening day by day and the increase in the fuel prices and new fines for traffic violations is an added pressure on the motorists to move freely. On the other hand, there are reckless drivers who do not seem to learn from anything. The road safety awareness campaigns are arranged by the traffic authorities at regular basis throughout the UAE but the impact of these campaigns has not been great as yet.
The major culprits are the arrogant drivers who do not care for their own lives and the lives of others. Jumping over the red signal has become common in the UAE and Lane Swerving is another issue that needs to be combated. The Fuel Efficient Vehicles are now the major contention of the commuters as well as the Government. The Government is investing time, effort and money to spread awareness among public about the importance of such vehicles. The smart driver-less technology recently launched in Dubai is also a step forward in making the UAE free from all traffic issues.
Also read: Dubai transportation to be smart and driverless by 2030
There are many reasons that have given birth to the traffic problems in the UAE and we shall share here the most significant ones.
Traffic Jams in the UAE
One of the biggest reasons for the poor traffic condition in the UAE is traffic jams. Many roads in the country have suffered the issue of capacity in recent times as the number of vehicles has increased massively. With more people migrating to the UAE for jobs, business and studies, the vehicles count keeps on mounting. There are some alarming traffic statistics related to Traffic Congestion in the UAE recorded in the recent years which must be highlighted here to understand the situation better:
- In 2013, The Dubai Economy suffered a setback of $790 million due to traffic congestion
- According to a figure released by RTA in the year 2015, there are 4 million vehicles in Dubai for 2.4 million people making it 504 vehicles for 1000 individuals. RTA also stated that the number of vehicles in Dubai has been doubled in last eight to nine years.
- According to a survey conducted by YouGov in 2015, 64% of the people in the UAE had got late on average in a month due to traffic jams. 35% of people arrived home frustrated as a result of their journey back from work while 28% were mostly stressed getting to their workplace because of the traffic congestion.
There is a psychological impact of the traffic jams that creates panic, restlessness and anger in the motorists that eventually leads to accidents.
General Lack of Respect for Traffic Laws
Another reason for the increased number of traffic problems in the UAE is the general lack of respect for the traffic laws in the country. People do not care much about obeying certain laws which are made for their goodwill and commit violations at the regular basis. Despite being reprimanded several times with heavy fines and black points against license, the motorists seem to remain reckless in their driving attitude. People do not care for the speed limits which also enhances the threat of a fatal road accident. Almost 500 accidents in the UAE in 2015 were caused by distracted driving. The new fines announced this year to discourage the use of mobile phones is a step taken by authorities to reduce the number of accidents caused by distraction while driving.
Also read: UAE Police Warns Motorists of Taking Selfies While Driving
Careless Drivers
Motorists in the UAE belong to multiple nationalities and age groups. The careless driving nature of especially the young drivers is the root-cause of the major traffic problems in the country. According to the estimate of the local traffic authorities, the people aged between 18 and 33 years have caused 44% of the road accidents in 2016 so far. Other than that, the migrants from other countries especially the Asian countries have been found guilty of most of the accidents. The major reason behind the irresponsible and reckless nature of the drivers is the fact that they don’t understand the traffic rules properly and are not completely aware of the dangers of committing traffic violations. The level of the carelessness of the drivers gets depicted from the fact that the highest number (919) of road accidents in 2015 were caused by Lane Swerving in the UAE.
Hike in Fuel Prices
The year 2016 has seen a consistent increase in fuel prices. The UAE Government announced the fuel prices of June earlier this month which made sure that the prices were increased for three consecutive months (April, May and June). With Fuel Prices getting higher, it is becoming tougher for the people in the UAE to manage their expenses. In a way, it is a good move to discourage the commuters from using independent vehicles and use public transport which will lead to lesser traffic load on the roads. But on the other hand, it has made commuting expensive for the motorists, which is not a healthy sign.
How the Eco-Friendly and Fuel-Efficient Cars are the Ultimate Help
The modern day cars are not only fuel-friendly but they are laced with all the modern technologies for car safety and road safety. The Lane Assist Feature, Automatic Parking, Cruise Control, Automatic Collision Control System and Air Bags are the prominent features of the new cars which help in minimizing the road accidents and fatalities caused as a result. With that, such cars have the hybrid or electric engines which are an excellent alternative to the conventional combustion engines. These engines not only save the fuel cost but also save the environment from getting polluted. The UAE Government is also urging the motorists to choose such vehicles and offering discounts in parking and other such benefits for the owners of eco-friendly and fuel-efficient vehicles.
How can you play your part in reducing the UAE’s traffic Problems?
People in UAE must realize their own responsibilities and everyone should play his/her individual roles to diminish the traffic problems from the country. Smart vehicles with fuel efficient technologies as discussed above are an ideal solution for the car buyers in UAE. Other than that, the commuters should also lessen the use of their private vehicles and use public transport more often. It will sort out the traffic congestion problem in the UAE and will also reduce the consumption of fuel overall. The bottom line is that the lesser the fuel consumption, the lesser are the chances for the fuel prices to go high and the environment to get polluted. The safety measures of driving can also be bettered with such cars which will eventually provide a great support in minimizing the startling number of accidents happening in the UAE.
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