Image via WikipediaNice story in today's jolly The National claims the Gulf's road safety record is 'appalling'. They're right, too. According to the piece, which quotes figures from the 2009 Global Status Report on Road Safety, you're seven times more likely to be killed on the UAE's roads than the UKs.If you don't like it, you know what you can do, people...
Speakers at the Road Safety Middle East conference, speakers appeared slightly baffled that the Middle East bucked global trends in that the wealthier the country gets in the region, the worse the fatality record. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for the 15 to 29 age group, apparently. And the UAE averages 37.1 road fatalities per 100,000 people compared to a global average of 18.8.
The story's linked here. It's statistically sobering stuff.
5 comments:
Personally it doesn't suprise me that the higher the income bracket the worse the fatality rate.
Unlike most other countries wealth normally leads to a higher level of education..... in the UAE it appears that nationality leads to wealth which does not necessarily lead to higher education & lower fatility rates. In other words, rich and dumb is more dangerous than poor and dumb.....
The atrocious crash record is surely down to lack of respect.
Lack of respect for the laws of the UAE;
Lack of respect for Newton's Laws of Motion;
Lack of respect for other road users;
Lack of respect for one's own mortality.
Or to put it another way Mr Goat, mind-boggling stupidity.
It's a matter of education, introduction of proper laws AND enforcement. We need a plan to get into schools (which I am preparing) to have a consistent, regular approach to teaching and instilling car safety.
Please join my campaign on Facebook and we can try and get everyone to Buckle Up In The Back
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buckle-Up-in-The-Back-Dubai/124145940941293
to add to grumpy goat's comment, it's also lack of respect for everyone else's mortality too.
This problem is endemic anywhere were Wasta beats the rule of law, not just Dubai.
In Saudi I have actually been overtaken by a car with a driver who felt it appropriate to drive at speed with one foot up on the dash board, a young child (about 18 months old, I would say)standing on his lap, one hand holding a cell phone to his ear and no seatbelt on.
as Seabee says
"mind-boggling stupidity."
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