Study seeks road carnage answer



ABU DHABI // The most comprehensive study of road collisions ever conducted will identify just why so many people die on our roads. Road injuries are the second-leading cause of death in the country, behind only cardiovascular disease. Road safety researchers have long decried a lack of comprehensive data pertaining to traffic collisions that could help provide solutions as to how to reduce the death rate.

However, a gathering of road safety professionals were given an early glimpse yesterday of what is expected to be the most comprehensive study of road collisions ever conducted in the UAE. Among the preliminary results of the analysis of traffic collisions causing death and serious injury in Abu Dhabi is the revelation that an alarming number of people are dying because they are not wearing a seat belt.

A failure to buckle up was a leading factor contributing to the death or injury of drivers and passengers in the investigation of 145 crashes selected for analysis between April 2008 and April 2009. Of 44 people who died in a sample group, only 34 per cent had been wearing a belt. Researchers did not reveal how many such accidents there were in the sample period, however there were 454 road fatalities in Abu Dhabi last year.

The preliminary results, a three-year in-depth investigation by Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and the UAE University in Al Ain, compiled with the help of the emirate's traffic police, were presented at the Road Safety on Four Continents conference at the Yas Hotel. The study, which by 2011 will analyse 600 accidents, randomly selected, will help officials understand the root causes of injuries.

Details on the severity of impact, vehicle damage, witness testimonials, medical records and patient accounts are being collated. The study will also evaluate the efficiency of emergency medical services. "This will help you find out what the underlying causes of crashes are," said Simon Labbett, the regional director of the UK-based Transport Research Laboratory. While the results so far - which show more cases of drivers at fault than poor road or vehicle conditions ? did not contain any startling revelations, they were important because they "quantify" the problems, Mr Labbett said.

"We all see things aren't quite right, but you need to be able to quantify the levels, and we can, and say, 'Do those driver behaviours lead to crashes?'," he said. "You only get that kind of information when you have good quality data. "The extra level of investigation is very helpful in understanding not just the primary cause, but also the underlying factors that go to cause these crashes because crashes are multifactor events."

The project has a budget of Dh3.6 million (US$1m). Crashes in which victims would not consent to be interviewed are not included. Neither are crashes in which there were no deaths or serious injuries. The preliminary findings rank the failure to wear a seat belt the second-leading human factor contributing to serious crashes after "other human factors". There were 69 cases in which people were not wearing a belt, 67 cases in which excessive speed was a factor and 60 cases in which driving was classified as reckless.

Human error was overwhelmingly to blame over vehicle or road and environment factors. There were 548 human factors - such as fatigue or inexperience - compared with 140 road and environment-related factors and 50 vehicle-related factors. The conference was told that the country needed a more comprehensive accident database. The National Transport Authority said such a database was in its plans. mchung@thenational.ae

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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

England Test squad

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Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
  • Ban fruit juice and sodas
  • Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
  • Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
  • Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
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  • Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
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Election pledges on migration

CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom" 

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

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Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

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UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali

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Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad

 

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From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore

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At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

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 

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

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How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
  1. Join parent networks
  2. Look beyond school fees
  3. Keep an open mind