Qatar’s efforts over the years to improve road safety and infrastructure have led to improved indicators including a fall in the number of fatal road traffic accidents in recent years.
A recent report in this newspaper showed that serious road accidents resulting in deaths have fallen by more than 32 percent over the past two year, according to Data from the National Planning Council (NPC). Recently released statistics show that a total of 52 people died in road accidents in first four months of this year, compared to 77 deaths reported in the same period in 2022, a 32.4 percent decrease.
The improvement is a result of concerted efforts by the Ministry of Interior’s General Directorate of Traffic to raise awareness and ensure compliance with traffic rules, not least the speed limit and use of seatbelts. Similarly, building a modern and most advanced road infrastructure and an annual inspection regime ensuring vehicles fitness have also contributed to improved road safety indicators.
NPC statistics show that a total of 3,163 traffic accidents were reported between January and April this year. However, an overwhelming majority of these cases were minor in nature, as there were only 172 major accidents. January saw 843 accidents, 754 came in February, and 804 and 762 accident cases were registered in March and April respectively. Of the total 52 deaths, 17 were reported in January, 12 in February, 13 in March and 10 in April.
The same period last year saw a total of 3,041 road accidents, resulting in 58 deaths. The January-April period in 2022 saw a total of 2,904 road accidents, resulting in 77 deaths, according to the National Planning Council.
To further enhance road safety for all, the traffic police have recently started monitoring seatbelt and mobile phone use violations through the surveillance cameras installed along roads and intersections across the country. It is crucial for drivers and front seat passengers to wear seatbelts when they are on the road, as it is mandated by Article (54) of Traffic Law No. (19) of 2007. The Ministry of Interior has also announced that from September 1, 2024, traffic law violators will not be allowed to leave the country through any state border without paying the fines and dues.
While Qatar has made giant strides in road and traffic safety in recent years, the country still sees hundreds of road accidents every month, some of them very serious. It is therefore vital that all road users, including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, adhere to road safety guidelines for the safety of everyone.
