Number of vehicles on UAE roads rises to 3.4m
There are almost three million cars on UAE roads, a World Health Organisation report revealed.
The Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018 said registered vehicles numbered almost 3.4 million, with cars and light vehicles accounting for the largest proportion of the figure.
The report also said there were 725 deaths from road traffic accidents across the country in 2016. More than three quarters of the victims were men, the Ministry of Interior said.
The largest number of deaths were among car drivers and pedestrians. There were about five deaths recorded for every 100,000 people.
Road deaths have dropped significantly since 2007 when there were almost 17 deaths for every 100,000 people. But the WHO has set the UAE a target of three for every 100,000.
The report pointed out that across the world the number of road deaths has continued to increase, although it has remained stable relative to population growth.
There are 1.3 million deaths on the world’s roads each year, meaning that almost 3,700 people die each day.
Road accidents are the leading killer of children and young adults worldwide and the eighth largest killer of people of all ages.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals, committed to by world leaders, include a target of halving road traffic deaths by 2020.
Battling drink-driving and speeding, and promoting seat-belt use and the wearing of helmets by cyclists and motorcyclists are among the critical areas for improvement.
The report also revealed the UAE is one of the hardest places to get away with speeding. It had the highest possible rating of 10 – with eight being categorised as “good” – for the enforcement of road safety laws, alongside Ireland, Norway, Oman and Turkmenistan.
The UAE also scored 10s for the enforcement of drink-driving laws, and the national motorcycle helmet law and seatbelt law, but scored only seven for child restraint.
The ratings were assigned by National Data Co-ordinators who compiled the report after being nominated by their governments.