Saturday 23 January 2010
traffic safety is the responsibility of all
The ADP GHQ traffic campaign under the theme "Leave a Distance before Repentance" will be launched on Sunday. The aim of the campaign is to educate motorists on the negative aspects of not leaving adequate distance behind other vehicles. Tailgating always results in accidents exhausting lives and properties.
According to Major General Nasser La Khreibani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the office of HH the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, The campaign is in response to the directives of HH Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and part of ADP traffic safety strategy.
It aims at increasing traffic awareness regarding leaving adequate distance between vehicles and to encourage motorists to abide by law, to protect drivers and other road users against accidents resulting from misestimating distance between vehicles.
Major General Al Nuaimi confirms that ADP pays great attention to traffic culture as one of the basic fulcrums of public safety strategy, and one of our top priorities. Al Nuaimi stressed the importance of traffic campaigns and the awareness messages they bear. These messages stress civilized values and positive traffic behaviors and their impact on motorists and their families' lives.
He urges all drivers to enhance the on going efforts in order to create a safe traffic environment for all road users, to protect them against traffic accidents. The campaign aims at curbing accident risks and boost preventive awareness, in accordance with ADO strategy.
During the campaign, continuous strict traffic control measures on internal and external roads will be made to book any motorists not adhering to adequate distance between vehicles rule. The fine for such offences may amount to Dh400 plus 4 traffic points.
According to UAE Traffic System, the stopping distance can be divided into two stages. The first is the thinking distance, which is the distance traveled between the time you realize a risk or emergency that requires you to take action, and the moment you take that action (Stopping your vehicle). The time you need to in this case is (0.7) second, if you are in your normal physical and mental condition. It takes much longer if the person is old, tired or inattentive. In this case it takes one second or more. The distance traveled by the vehicle during this time is called "Response Distance'.
The second stage is the distance traveled between the moment you start applying the brakes and the moment the vehicle comes to a complete stop. It takes about one second. This is called "Braking Distance". This distance may increase or even doubles. This also depends on the condition of the road surface. Slippery road surface, brakes and tires condition greatly increase braking distance.
To work out overall safe stopping distance, you must add the thinking distance to the braking distance. Therefore, the vehicle speed is a critical factor in determining thinking distance. The driver ability to avoid accidents is vital in this case.
