Road safety is in our hands, stick to speed limits

Speed limits have been set to provide information or warning about the type of road, the hazards, the environment, and the appropriate maximum speed in clear conditions (stress clear conditions) and as a means of prosecuting drivers who travel at inappropriately high speeds. The limit varies with the type of road; those with fewer intersections generally have the maximum speed limit, while those with more intersections and pedestrian crossings have lower limits. Speeding happens when a driver drives beyond the posted limit. It applies to every driver, regardless of the power of the car or the expertise/experience of the driver. The UAE, in its efforts to reach the zeroaccident death figure by 2030, is on a constant endeavour to improve its traffic rules. It conducts periodic reviews of speed limits especially on vital highways to adjust them depending on the condition of the road and the surrounding. This could be up or down, for a slow-moving car on a highway can be equally dangerous.

It is encouraging that Abu Dhabi has decided to do away with the buffer that allows motorists to travel 20kmph faster than the specified speed limit. Speeding increases the degree of crash severity. And at high speed, it becomes difficult for a driver to execute turns or change gears making him more vulnerable to an otherwise avoidable accident. It is important to drive at a speed where the driver has full control of his car. There could be a maverick out there, and you don’t want to be a victim of his eccentricities. Speeding is about endangering lives and more. A speeding ticket can set you back by a few hundred dirhams. There is also the danger of losing your licence if more black points are accumulated. Hence, it would be pertinent for all the other emirates to follow the Capital’s example. Once a limit has been set, leniency is out of place, especially so when it concerns the lives of people. So, stick to the rules and drive well within the stipulated limit. For, speeding kills.