The Traffic and Patrols Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police discussed ways to enhance training cooperation in the field of traffic with the Norwegian police.
For this end, Brigadier Eng. Hussein Ahmed Al Harthi, Director of Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police had met in his office on Monday, the visiting delegation from the Norwegian Police, which includes Major General Ron Karlsen, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Norway Police, and Brigadier Jan M. Gutermann, Director of the mobile Unit at the Traffic and Patrols Directorate.
Al Harthi welcomed the visiting delegation, emphasizing the attention dedicated by the Traffic and Patrols Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police to enhance cooperation with the Norwegian police, and to benefit from its expertise as to enhance the Abu Dhabi Police’s strategy of traffic safety, to make roads safer and secure. This can be achieved by reducing accident rates and their resulting deaths and serious injuries, so as to achieve the zero mortality on roads due to traffic accidents by the year 2030.
The Norwegian police was given an overview of the Directorate’s organizational structure as well as the traffic safety strategy adopted by Abu Dhabi Police and the efforts achieved over the past three years, namely; reducing the number of traffic accidents’ by 33%; deaths by 34%; and injuries by 25%. Also among the achievements, reducing mortality rate by 35% per 100 thousand people; the deaths rate per 10 thousand registered vehicles in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi by 46%; and the deaths rate per 10 thousand license holder by 50% compared to international rates.
The delegation was also briefed on the Traffic and Patrols Directorate’s future plan; titled the “Abu Dhabi Integrated Plan” (traffic control; education and awareness; engineering improvements; rapid response; and assessment), based on a number of important pillars. Such pillars include reviewing international-best practices; the optimal use of geographic information system; leveraging programs and artificial intelligence systems to support decision-making and develop human resources.
Moreover, the delegation was acquainted with the smart traffic systems center project that the Directorate had began implementing earlier this year. The program will mainly improve the existing traffic management and traffic safety systems, thus developing traffic work practices.
The delegation listened to a brief presentation on the “Together” program launched by Abu Dhabi Police Traffic and Patrols Directorate to reduce traffic accidents, through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They also got acquainted with the Directorate’s various plans designed to attract the public, particularly young people, so as to implement the desired change among young drivers. These sites introduce young people to the community-based initiatives launched by Abu Dhabi Police Traffic and Patrols Directorate, and which include the “best young driver” initiative; the “best family abiding with traffic rules” initiative; the “best school abiding with traffic rules” initiative; and the “best labor camp abiding with traffic rules” initiative.
For his part, Brigadier General Jan M. Guttermann, Director of the Mobile Units at the Traffic and Patrols Directorate, gave a presentation showcasing the organizational structure of the Norway Police Traffic and Patrols Directorate, its vision and the tasks carried out by the various traffic patrols. He also shed light on the most common forms of accidents and smart traffic systems used, as well as the rates of traffic accidents in Norway, compared to international rates.
The Norwegian Police delegation members then toured the various