Fuel price hike can make roads safer

A long queue at the Enoc petrol station on Al Khail Road, Dubai.

Dubai - Expert says high fuel prices catalyst for fuel-efficient technologies, vehicles

Kelly Clarke

Published: Sun 2 Aug 2015, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Sun 2 Aug 2015, 5:18 PM

Residents may have taken to social media to vent their anger on the monetary aspect of the hike in fuel prices. But the positives far outweigh the negatives when it comes to road safety, an expert has said.
As per the deregulation of oil prices, which came into effect on Saturday, the fuel prices in the UAE have been hiked by 24 per cent.
According to Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of RoadSafetyUAE, this is the perfect time for motorists to reflect on the link between fuel consumption and driving behaviour.

Masses will opt for mass transitAccording to Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of RoadSafetyUAE, a big chunk of residents will opt for public transport after fuel price rise.
"Of course, the public transportation system must cater to the needs of the targeted users. The UAE's authorities have been investing significantly into creating public transportation infrastructure and more investments will happen in the future. It might be a good opportunity for international benchmarking studies to secure the future development of the UAE public transportation system, considering the higher fuel prices than we were used to."
kelly@khaleejtimes.com

"Our driving style plays a vital role in fuel consumption. Displaying a smooth driving style and sticking to the speed limits will benefit our petrol expenses. It will also increase road safety."
He said higher fuel prices usually lead to increased efforts from motorists to display a more economical behavior.
"This usually results in a less fuel demanding driving style, car pooling, avoiding of unnecessary trips and a move to public transportation." And less cars on the roads means less congestion and less stress, which are key reasons for accidents, he said. "It is fair to assume improved driving behaviour will not only impact our wallets, it could have a positive impact on road safety too."

Poor vehicle maintenance and running engines unnecessarily all impact fuel consumption, so the new hike may whip us all into shape when it comes to better vehicle management.
As the population continues to increase in Dubai, so does the number of vehicles on the roads. Also, reckless driving is omnipresent on the UAE's roads.
Typical daily behaviours witnessed by motorists include engine revving, sharp acceleration and speeding. With about 200 nationalities coming together with different approaches to road worthy behaviour, the risk of accidents is also high.
Edelmann says as speed and fuel consumption are interrelated, people may tend to avoid reckless driving, which could eventually lead to fall in number of road rage cases.
The hike in Octane 95 (Special) - from Dh1.72 to Dh2.14 per litre - should act as a great deterrent to road users who exert a gung-ho attitude to driving.

Advertising

Doubts persist
But for Pakistani national, Mehvish Fiaz, scepticism remains high.
"I have been living in the UAE for more than 20 years. I have a good idea of the driving style here and I only see the issue becoming worse."
She said the monetary aspect of the fuel hike will only affect the middle- and low-income workers and will do little to deter the behaviour of those driving "big, powerful and fast cars".
"I totally admire police here because they are doing their job the best they can. But the 'higher class residents' are totally intolerable. I have seen so many disastrous accidents as a result of their driving style."
As fuel prices increase, attitudes towards road safety should ideally increase with it. But will the hike in prices see a change in the types of vehicles on the country's roads? Ultimately yes, according to Edelmann.
"The leading car manufacturers are packing ever more fuel efficient gadgets into their vehicles, and they have diversified into alternative engine solutions like hybrid cars or electrical cars."
He says high fuel prices are a great catalyst for a stronger demand for these new technologies.
"It could well see an increased trend in the UAE towards these types of vehicles, like we have seen in other counties."
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
(Do you think road safety will improve after fuel price rise? Tell us on Facebook. Or write to us at reporters@khaleejtimes.com, or tweet to us on @khaleejtimes)