Thomas Edelmann
Dubai - Expert says motorists should focus on 'time management', 'road etiquette and politeness' and 'fasten seat belts'.
Published: Mon 4 Jan 2016, 4:05 PM
Updated: Tue 5 Jan 2016, 7:30 AM
Coinciding with RoadSafetyUAE's second anniversary on January 1, Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director, has announced his three wishes for safety on the UAE's roads for 2016.
"From various data points we collected in the last two years since we launched our road safety platform, we want to single out three behavioural changes which would dramatically improve the UAE's road safety and the human toll we pay. We want to focus on 'time management', 'road etiquette and politeness' and 'fasten seat belts'," Edelmann said.
Time management: Poor time management of the UAE's motorists often leads to 'running late', where they try to regain lost time while driving. This can lead to misbehaviour in the form of speeding, jumping queues and red lights, lane swerving, tailgating and bullying other motorists.
"A 2015 YouGov survey revealed, that 67 per cent of the UAE motorists claim 'running late' as being the root cause for their speeding. Hence, we have to call on motorists to start applying proper time management, for example by starting every road trip 10 minutes early. This would reduce the stress levels and the safety for the motorist, but also the safety of their passengers and those of surrounding fellow road traffic participants," Edelmann explained.
Road etiquette: Many state "egoistic and reckless behaviour" of other road traffic participants as a main contributor to accidents and near misses. In a related YouGov study published by RoadSafetyUAE in 2015, 53 per cent of motorists stated roads have become more dangerous; 66 per cent experienced more speeding; and 65 per cent experienced more tailgating.
"Road etiquette and politeness play a pivotal role - motorists must treat others like they want to be treated, in the same respectful and polite manner," Edelmann said.
Fasten seat belts: In the event of accidents, the best way to avoid injuries or fatalities is to use seatbelts. "Our mantra must be: 'No belt, no start!' - for everyone in our vehicle."- reporters@khaleejtimes.com
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