Drivers say indicating is ‘sign of weakness’
ABU DHABI // The car’s indicators – a vital tool that makes driving safer for yourself and other motorists, or simply a sign of weakness? Well, it all depends on who you ask.
Excuses given for not signalling in a survey of 1,000 motorists in Dubai and Abu Dhabi ranged from bad habits picked up after years behind the wheel, a different driving culture in their home country, to simply being too distracted by other traffic.
Sixteen per cent of those polled by YouGov felt not indicating was a sign of an experienced driver; 9 per cent said signalling was a sign of weakness; 11 per cent said indicating was not normal in their home countries; 23 per cent did not signal because they were “distracted by traffic”; and 16 per cent said they did not indicate out of habit.
The findings did not come as a surprise to road safety experts.
“These are just excuses,” said Dr Salaheddine Bendak, associate professor at the department of industrial engineering at the University of Sharjah. “Drivers underestimate the importance of using indicators.”
Continued awareness is needed to remind motorists that not only is not using indicators a traffic offence, it is also considered “impolite, inconsiderate and dangerous”, said Thomas Edelmann, founder of Road Safety UAE.
The penalty if caught not using your indicator is a Dh200 fine and four black points.
“When you use your indicator, you are not only telling other drivers and road users of your intentions,” said Dr Bendak. “You’re also minimising the risk of crashes and helping secure a safe environment for yourself and other road users.”
However, the survey also found that 90 per cent of those polled said using indicators increased road safety, with an overall 67 per cent using their indicators “almost every time”.
Of those surveyed, Emiratis scored the lowest (54 per cent) and westerners the highest (85 per cent).
The survey also found that those who thought indicating improved safety was highest among drivers aged 30 to 39 years (92 per cent), and lowest among those in the 18 to 24 age group (84 per cent).
Westerners scored the highest at 100 per cent, while Arab expatriates the lowest at 86 per cent.
“Drivers who do not consistently use their indicators are displaying a lack of respect for the traffic laws and personal ignorance,” said Dino Kalivas, chairman of the International Road Federation’s driver education and training committee.
Fatima Suhail, 26, a Pakistani who lives in Sharjah, said: “Many do not indicate before changing lanes because the moment they do, other drivers tend to speed up and not make space for them.”