ABU DHABI // The results of a study of the emirate's roads will be used by traffic police in a plan to further decrease the number of accidents leading to deaths and serious injury.
A similar study of traffic trends conducted in 2007 led police to a strategy they claim was a main reason behind a 12 per cent fall in deaths and serious injuries on the capital's roads in the first 11 months of last year, from the same period in 2007.
Police will increase patrols and radar on several roads found in the latest study to be where most violations and accidents occur. The study classifies the roads according to what types of violations contributed to accident rates.
Capt Haji Ahmad al Bloushi, the traffic support manager at Abu Dhabi Traffic and Patrol Department, said: "In 2008, we worked according to this strategy which included increasing patrols in areas where in 2007 a high number of accidents took place.
"We focused on the principal violations which were the main causes of accidents and deaths in 2007, and this helped significantly in reducing the volume of accidents."
Of the first study's three tiers, speeding topped the list in the first tier, followed by with driving through red lights, suddenly swerving and refusing to give a priority to pedestrians.
The second tier was headed by driving without a licence and having poor tyres; while drink-driving and overtaking led the third tier.
"Streets like Musaffah and Hamdan tend to have a high number of accidents involving pedestrians run over, while streets like Al Khalij al Arabi and Al Qurm tend to witness speeding," Capt al Bloushi said.
"Our role was to focus on such streets as opposed to streets that had minor accidents, without, of course, ignoring other roads. It's logical to have more number of patrols on Al Matar Road, for example."
Capt al Bloushi also stressed the importance of raising public awareness as a tool to combat bad driving. "It is a major factor behind accidents reduction," he said.
Traffic police make daily visits to places such as shopping malls and labour camps, distribute brochures in Arabic, English and Urdu, and give direct advise to people.
"It was easy to achieve the strategy. We have statistics, we know the places where accidents occur," Capt al Bloushi said. "And we not only achieved the strategic plan, which is to reduce accidents by 4 per cent each year, we reduced it by 15 per cent, which not only reflects success but outstanding performance as well."
He said the department plans an even better result this year. "We increased radars and inspection campaigns on all levels, such as the campaigns aimed at jaywalkers on the main highway in Musaffah and Hamdan street, where there was a high number of accidents involving pedestrians."
Police patrolled in plain clothes and unmarked cars for the first time last year to make it easier to catch traffic violators.
They also sought to co-ordinate closely with concerned parties, including the Emirates Traffic Safety Society, a group based in Abu Dhabi.
Brig Gen Hassan Ahmad al Housani, the general secretary of Emirates Traffic Safety Society, said dozens of deaths, most of them among the youth, occur every year making it a serious national problem and one civil groups should be involved in.
"Education is key. The driver who is aware of safety measures would save themselves as well as others a great deal of risks," Brig Gen al Housani said.
Apart from informing the public about road risks, especially young people in schools, the society seeks to keep drivers up to date with traffic regulations.
Col Hamad Adil al Shamsi, head of the Abu Dhabi Police traffic and patrols department, had attributed the lower numbers to traffic law changes.
The black points system introduced in March last year imposed tougher penalties on traffic offences, especially those that result in major accidents.
Col al Shamsi said studies of road trends are conducted every week and that data were sent to all departments. He said police attention to statistics was intensified last year, with many staff trained abroad in conducting surveys such as the traffic tiers study.
The department took several steps to raise staff qualifications through training and bringing in foreign exchange experts.
"We are not competing with ourselves, nor with GCC states only; we are in fact competing with the world in setting an example of road safety. This aim is realistic and concrete, shown in the results achieved so far," Col al Shamsi said.
The jaywalking battle began with a brochure campaign. After a few months, the police added a Dh200 fine for jaywalking.
Col Tariq al Ghoul, the Musaffah police chief, said people needed to learn how to behave in traffic, and that the fine was an important part of the process.
"Musaffah culture is mostly composed of labour workers who are uneducated and lack knowledge of rules for crossing the road," Col Ghoul said. "As they do not drive, they cannot estimate the dangers of jaywalking.
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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
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Company%20profile
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Profile of VoucherSkout
Date of launch: November 2016
Founder: David Tobias
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers
Sector: Technology
Size: 18 employees
Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake
Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars”
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Results
57kg quarter-finals
Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Hamed Al Matari (YEM) by points 3-0.
60kg quarter-finals
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) RSC round 2.
63.5kg quarter-finals
Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Shamlan A Othman (KUW) by points 3-0.
67kg quarter-finals
Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Ahmad Ondash (LBN) by points 2-1.
71kg quarter-finals
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) defeated Lalthasanga Lelhchhun (IND) by points 3-0.
Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Seyed Kaveh Safakhaneh (IRI) by points 3-0.
81kg quarter-finals
Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Ahmad Hilal (PLE) by points 3-0
Day 2, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Pakistan’s effort in the field had hints of shambles about it. The wheels were officially off when Wahab Riaz lost his run up and aborted the delivery four times in a row. He re-measured his run, jogged in for two practice goes. Then, when he was finally ready to go, he bailed out again. It was a total cringefest.
Stat of the day – 139.5 Yasir Shah has bowled 139.5 overs in three innings so far in this Test series. Judged by his returns, the workload has not withered him. He has 14 wickets so far, and became history’s first spinner to take five-wickets in an innings in five consecutive Tests. Not bad for someone whose fitness was in question before the series.
The verdict Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take something extraordinary for Pakistan to keep their undefeated record in Test series in the UAE in tact from this position. At least Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have made a positive start to the salvage effort.
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Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
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Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
