18-03-2007
23rd GCC Traffic week to commence its campaign from today
Traffic safety is our top priority –say Officials
Traffic accidents are one of the most serious issues that the society needs to tackle with due importance. Traffic accidents are causing great physical, economical and psychological loss to the individuals, families and the society as a whole.
There for it is the responsibility of every individual of the society to assure their safety, safety of others and create an accident free society by following the road safety regulations.
In order to reassert and spread the traffic safety awareness all the GCC countries are holding the traffic week for spreading the message of road safety which begins on 17th march and will go on till the 23rd of march.
The campaign in UAE is organized under the patronage of his highness Lt.Gen.Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Interior. The opening ceremony of the traffic week will take place at 10 am at the marina mall in Abu Dhabi with various programs for various segments. The theme slogan of this year campaign is your safety depends on your attention
The novelty of this year’s program is that robots’ will be guiding the pedestrians for crossing the roads showing the way to different venues. About 16 government organizations are associated with the traffic week programs besides all the community segments.
The week long programs include training for kids, exhibitions, lectures at various schools, campaign stalls at various patrol stations, safety messages by SMS, dramas and short films depicting the menace of accidents and safety measures.
Causalities
In 2006 875 dead and 883 were seriously injured. There were 3917 medium level injuries and 5876 minor injuries. During the period from 2000 to 2006, 4803 people died, 5725 seriously injured, 26567 medium level injuries and 36147 minor injuries
Among the causalities Asians topped the list with 56 percentage and the locals next at 21 percentage. The alarming thing is that more than two people die every day and the main reason cited for all the major accidents is lack of attention and reckless driving said major Jamal Al Amri,public relations director at the traffic and patrols department at the General headquarters of Abu Dhabi police and the chief of the traffic week organizing committee.
He called upon the media and all other communities for their active participation in the mass rally and all other events that follow through out the campaign period. He stressed the need for a united and continuous campaign aga