Tailgaters make roads dangerous
abu dhabi — Tailgaters are still a menace on some highways, despite warnings from the authorities on the dangers of not keeping enough distance between vehicles, Abu Dhabi motorists have said.
Drivers said that people sounding horns and flashing headlights to force them out of the way, might distract them into causing accidents.
The complaints come just a month after the implementation of the new federal traffic law on July 1, slapping all-round heftier fines and penalties on most traffic violations.
Peter M, a Filipino expat, told Khaleej Times: “I have, on several occasions, been chased out of the way by reckless, stubborn drivers on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway.
“Some two weeks ago, I was driving from Dubai in the evening and had reached Al Rahba, when a motorist in a 4x4 was driving just inches behind me. He flashed the headlights several times so I would give him way, despite the other lanes being full of cars. I was almost hit by another vehicle as I moved to the next lane,” he said.
Another driver, Mohammed Hassib, said tailgating and flashing lights always scare him. “Tailgaters are a menace on the roads. These reckless drivers are always scary as they try to push me out of the way,” said Hassib.
“Once, I was travelling to Dubai when a Porsche driver tried to force me out of the fast lane. He flashed his lights and honked repeatedly to scare me. I was, however hesitant, to give him way because of the other vehicles moving at high speed around us.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t record
In the last wave of February 2017, 68 per cent of UAE drivers see more motorists tailgating than six months before.”
Thomas Edelman, founder of Road Safety UAE
the car number plate or I would have reported him to authorities.”
Indian expat Sajid Ali said it’s absurd that many motorists still do not maintain sufficient distance between vehicles, despite the authorities’ warnings. “I see many reckless drivers tailgating other motorists, especially on highways, as they try to force them out of the way. This is very risky, as it leads to sudden lane changing and could cause accidents,” said Ali.
Thomas Edelman, founder of Road Safety UAE, said their organisation tracks the UAE motorists’ perceptions about dangerous driving in their ‘UAE Road Safety Monitor’, twice a year.
“In the last wave of February 2017, 68 per cent of UAE drivers see more motorists tailgating than six months before,” said Edelman.
“This is a very high number and it underlines that tailgating is still a serious issue on our roads. According to official data, tailgating remains the number three cause of death on UAE’s roads.”
Edelman noted that there was more need to educate drivers using all possible media on the risks involved in tailgating, in order to change their behaviour. Drivers caught tailgating are fined Dh400 and receive four black points on their licence, under the new Federal Traffic Law.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com