Abu Dhabi Traffic Police launch Seat belt Campaign
5/3/2006
The Abu Dhabi traffic police have launched a campaign to create awareness amoung people the importance of using seat belt for their safety.
The campaign, your safety is in using seat belt, buckle up, is organized in cooperation with the national oil company ADNOC and Emirates Traffic Safety Society.
Col .Al Zaabi, brifing the press along with Ebrahim Al Marzouqi, corporate communication manager at ADNOC and Dr Yousef Al Hosani of the George Institute of International health- said the campaign has been launched following a comprehensive study made by Al Hosani on causalities caused by not using safety belt on Abu Dhabi roads. According to records there is 246 increase in safety belt fines last year and even more during the first two months of this year.
At least 8,930 fines were issued in Abu Dhabi and its suburbs this year alone. Similarly the department issued 33,499 safety belt fines last year as compared to 9,678 during 2004, said Col Gaith Al Zaabi, the Director of traffic and patrols at the Abu Dhabi Police.
In a move to inculcate the habit of wearing seat belts, the traffic patrols department of the Abu Dhabi Police yesterday launched a three month campaign, stressing the mandatory use of seat belts in the front seat.
Al Marzouqui said staff at the ADNOC patrol stations will distribute literature about the importance of using safety belts.
Dr.Al Hosani in his study said, during 1977 to 2005 there were 403,597 road accidents in the country, resulting in 14,627 causalities and 233,111 serious injuries.
Since 2002 the number of road fatalities increased by eight percent, despite the population remaining relatively stable, he said.
