the Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police in coordination with The Centre for Regulation of Transport by Hire Cars (TransAD) and the SAAED Society to Reduce Traffic Accidents launched programs to raise the level of traffic culture among taxi drivers in Abu Dhabi; thus promoting traffic safety.
Brigadier Engineer Hussein Ahmad Al Harthi, Director of Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police; Chairman of the SAAED Society to reduce traffic accidents, underscored the importance of implementation of these programs so as to enhance traffic safety in the sector.
He pointed out that this sector transports large numbers of passengers on various roads in the Emirate; which requires increasing doses of traffic awareness to ensure the safe transportation of passengers.
We will also be focusing on the safety of taxis and the commitment of their drivers to traffic laws and places where passengers can ride and get off taxis safely.
Al Harthi reviewed the efforts highlighted during the campaign of the Ministry of Interior, which it has launched recently under the slogan "Traffic light jumpers, beware! " which showed the most errors committed by drivers, based on traffic accidents indicators.
The total taxis traffic accidents in Abu Dhabi during the last year reached around 64 traffic accidents, which resulted in the death of one person, 6 others seriously injured, 30 moderately injured. The accidents committed by the taxi drivers included run over accidents, collisions and car turnover.
Indicators also revealed that such accidents were mainly attributed to jumping red light, sudden car swerving, tailgating and sudden stop, said Al Harthi.
About 44,507 traffic violations have been issued against taxi drivers last year in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, noted Al Harthi, mainly including speeding, parking on propitiated locations, and non-compliance with mandatory lane, among others.
For his part, Mohammed Hussein Al Hosni, Director, Licensing & Franchise Centre for Regulation of Transport by Hire Cars in Abu Dhabi emphasized the importance of awareness-raising traffic programs launched by the Directorate of Traffic and Patrols t at Abu Dhabi Police, in coordination with the SAAED Society to reduce traffic accidents for drivers.
There are about 8 thousand taxis operating in Abu Dhabi, and around 9 thousand licensed taxi drivers, Al Hosani pointed out.
Many safety mechanisms have been applied, such as setting up of complaints system and the preparation of a list of offenses involving one hundred violations against the vehicle and driver, as well as determining the speed of taxis within the city and outside of it, based on studies and careful research, noted Al Hosani.
Accordingly, TransAD has decided that taxis shall abide by a speed limit of 80 km / h within the city and 120 km / h on the highways, he stated.
In addition, all new taxis can be tracked electronically and receive fines if they exceed the fixed speed limit.
According to Al Hosni, TransAD, in coordination with the SAAED for Traffic Systems, are in the process of preparing a program of training and rehabilitation for taxi drivers in Abu Dhabi. The program is being prepared through analysis and examination of minor and serious incidents, in addition to the offenses committed by taxi drivers.