Mohammed Saif Al Zafeen (centre) speaks during the conference.

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

The number of traffic accidents in general and fatal ones in particular significantly dropped over the last three years, revealed a senior traffic officer on Monday.

Traffic accidents during Ramadan claimed 62 lives in 2016, 51 in 2017 and 30 in 2018, said Major General Engineer Mohammed Saif Al Zafeen, Dubai Police Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Operations Affairs and Chairman of the Federal Traffic Council.

There were 350 accidents resulting in 508 traffic injuries in Ramadan 2016.

The number dropped to 316 accidents resulting in 456 injuries in Ramadan 2017 and dropped to 226 accidents resulting 340 injuries in Ramadan 2018, added Major General Al Zafeen.

The Ministry of Interior, represented by the Federal Traffic Council and Traffic Coordination General Directorate – during a press conference at the Dubai Police Officers Club – launched the Second Traffic Campaign Titled ‘Ramadan without Accidents.’

The campaign is designed to boost safety levels in line with initiatives rolled out by the traffic sector to promote awareness of community segments of the impacts of traffic accidents and their resulting deaths, injuries, material and moral damages.

He said this second unified traffic awareness campaign at the state level includes many activities, events, lectures and programs aimed at reaching the largest segment of society through various media forms, the internet, brochures and billboards.

“The campaign aims to enhance traffic safety, raise the level of compliance with the traffic laws, spread traffic awareness among drivers and educate community members to avoid negative behaviors that distract drivers from being cautious.

“I hope this Ramadan drivers exercise maximum tolerance, abide by speed limits, observe lane discipline and avoid using phones while driving as over-speeding, sudden deviation and using phones were the major causes of accidents,” he said.

He noted that traffic accidents were a worrying concern because of the detrimental effects of death, injury and other social effects as well as property losses, which cost the economy considerable amounts of money.

On his part, the National Ambulance Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Saleh Al Hajeri, the representative of the campaign’s strategic partners, appealed to drivers to follow health and safety guidelines and safe driving rules.

He said drivers should be spiritually tolerant and avoid driving while feeling tired. One should contact the number 998 or use the National Ambulance smartphone service “NA 998” App to request emergency ambulance services.

The campaign is carried out in cooperation with the state’s traffic and patrol departments and more than 20 traffic safety bodies in the public and private sectors, to augment local efforts aimed at creating a safer environment and accident-free roads.