UAE residents are more worried about road safety than the risk of unemployment, serious illness or crime, a major poll has revealed.
Twenty-eight per cent of the 1,000 surveyed for the World Risk Poll 2024, from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation global safety charity, cited road accidents as their biggest safety issue.
Economic risks, such as job losses, concerned 13 per cent of respondents, while major health issues were cited by eight per cent. Another five per cent were worried about crime or violence. Less serious health concerns such as exhaustion or a fall made four per cent anxious.
The survey's findings – based on nearly 147,000 interviews in 142 countries by the polling firm Gallup – was released on Friday in a report, What the world worries about: global perceptions and experiences of risk and harm.
Road safety
Despite significant improvements in UAE accident statistics, residents still find road safety the most concerning issue.
“Driving is still erratic here. It’s the lack of road culture,” said Thomas Edelmann, managing director of Road Safety UAE. He described road safety as “a daily concern” in the country.
“I’m not surprised people are concerned … more needs to be done,” he added. “On every single trip, you have to watch your back. There are multiple situations where drivers show erratic behaviour without any respect for others.”
Mr Edelmann noted that the number of road accident deaths fell two-thirds to 352 in 2023 from 1,072 in 2008.
“A lot of credit has to go to the authorities,” he said. “The rules have been improved … the road infrastructure has expanded dramatically over the years. Data sources out there claim that the UAE has one of the best, if not absolutely the best, infrastructure in the world.
“The government can only do so much. They can only give us the proper laws, the proper roads, the enforcement, the proper infrastructure, but people behind the wheel, motorists, pedestrians, everyone who uses the roads has to contribute. They have to display a caring attitude and work with each other.”
Road accidents topped the poll globally at 16 per cent, with 76 per cent of adults expressing concern about being seriously hurt in a road accident. Crime or violence was named by 13 per cent, followed by a personal health condition at 11 per cent, the economy at seven per cent and climate change or severe weather events at six per cent.
“Since the World Risk Poll began in 2019, people around the world have named road-related accidents as the greatest risk to their safety every time,” Nancy Hey, director of evidence and insight at the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, said in a statement. “Even amid major global upheavals, including the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions and economic and cost-of-living crises, people continue to feel most threatened by risk from everyday transportation.”
The World Risk Poll found the highest proportion of people who had suffered serious harm in a road accident was in South Asia, at 16 per cent, with South-east Asia second, at 12 per cent.
Little concern over climate change
In the UAE, the poll found that 38 per cent of residents – the third-highest figure in the world – are unconcerned about climate change, despite the country experiencing some of the world’s hottest temperatures.
In several other Middle Eastern countries substantial minorities said climate change was not a threat, including in Saudi Arabia (46 per cent, the highest figure in the world), Israel (the fourth-highest figure globally, at 36 per cent), Iraq (fifth, at 33 per cent), Bahrain (seventh, at 30 per cent) and Jordan (eighth, at 28 per cent).
Prof Michael Mason, director of the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics, said that many people in Gulf states may be unconcerned about climate change because these “relatively well-off” nations could” insulate their populations … from the adverse effects of climate change”.
“It could be there's an awareness there, but there's a confidence in the government to protect them,” he said. The heavy urbanisation in the Gulf could be another factor, because many effects of climate change are felt by farmers practising rain-fuelled agriculture, according to Prof Mason.
In some Arab nations there are “more immediate, even existential threats” that he said would tend to crowd out concern about climate change. There is likely to be a generational divide, Prof Mason said, with younger people in the region probably more concerned than older generations about climate change.
In a 2022 report, Greenpeace Research Laboratories, based at the University of Exeter in the UK, warned that the Middle East and North Africa region was warming twice as fast as the world as a whole, with average temperatures rising by about 0.4C per decade. Previous research has indicated that in the Middle East, concern about climate change “isn’t as high” as in some other regions, said Lorraine Whitmarsh, professor of environmental psychology at the University of Bath in the UK.
“It could be they have strong vested interests in maintaining the status quo and not moving away from fossil fuels,” she added. Work that Prof Whitmarsh has been involved with found that experiencing flooding – which is becoming more common because of global warming – did not make people more worried about climate change. “It was the media that had the bigger impact. It was mediated information rather than their direct experience,” she said, adding that government inaction on global warming also increased “climate anxiety”.
Watch: UAE hit by worst flooding on record in April 2024
Honeymoonish
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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Fight card
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) v Rey Nacionales (PHI)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROM) v Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR)
Catch 74kg
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) v Omar Hussein (JOR)
Strawweight (Female)
Weronika Zygmunt (POL) v Seo Ye-dam (KOR)
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) v Walid Laidi (ALG)
Lightweight
Leandro Martins (BRA) v Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW)
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) v Sofiane Benchohra (ALG)
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR)
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Glen Ranillo (PHI)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Aidan Aguilera (AUS)
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) Sasha Palatnikov (HKG)
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR)
BMW M5 specs
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Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
MO
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
WHAT%20IS%20THE%20LICENSING%20PROCESS%20FOR%20VARA%3F
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if you go
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3 stars
The Sand Castle
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Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
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Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
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Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
