Reversing the lack of road safety culture in the Gulf region is the biggest challenge that GCC governments face in their efforts to make roads safer to drive on, according to a road safety expert from the FIA Foundation.
Rita Cuypers, Director of Campaigns and Events at the FIA Foundation said that attitudes toward speeding, changing lanes without warning, dangerous overtaking, tailgating, mobile phone usage while driving and ignoring traffic lights are just some of the issues that the region’s governments need to tackle to keep roads safer.
“There seems to be a lack of road safety culture in the GCC countries, which are considered to be dangerous to drive in,” said Cuypers. “The attitudes of young men seem to be particularly problematic. A study by the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy found that reckless driving such as speeding, tailgating and dangerous overtaking are accepted practices among young Emirati men.
“Additionally, sticking to the speed limit, keeping a safe distance, wearing seatbelts and stopping to make phone calls were considered ‘unmanly’.”
According to the UN, there are currently 1.3 million people killed and 50 million injured on the roads worldwide, with 90% of these casualties occurring in developing countries. At the current rate, it is predicted that road toll deaths will climb to 2.4 million by 2030.
“Road crashes are already the number one killer of young people between the ages of 10 and 25 worldwide,” added Cuypers. “By 2015 they will be the leading health burden of children over the age of five in developing countries.
“GCC countries are high income countries with a modern road infrastructure system and modern vehicles, but their road traffic injuries and death rates are comparable to lower income, developing countries.”
Cuypers called on GCC governments to enforce a zero tolerance policy on road misdemeanours and said that education on road safety and risks at an early age is needed to reverse the lack of road safety awareness.
