| Sultanate fourth in road accidents in Gulf region |
MUSCAT The Sultanate came in fourth place in the Gulf area and 57th globally in terms of the number of deaths due to traffic accidents per 100,000 of the population, Brigadier Mohammed Bin Awadh Al Rowas, Director-General of Traffic at the Royal Oman Police (ROP) said at a press conference held in the Institute of Traffic Safety.
He said the number of deaths involving trucks dropped from 59 deaths during the past year to 43 in 2012.
Al Rowas also briefed on what was adopted at the meeting of the National Committee for Road Safety on the amendments to certain provisions of the regulations of the traffic law. These include raising the class for traffic violations, increasing fines and tougher action against traffic violators as well as amendments to the criminal law developed in coordination with the concerned authorities, including the penalty on mobile phone users while driving and other irregularities that have a direct impact on the safety of road users.
As many as 1,131 people died and 11,364 were injured in accidents from the start of 2012 till December 29, 2012.
Al Rowas said ROP have taken efforts in cooperation with other state departments to reduce the accidents and to make roads safer for users, adding that appropriate penalties would be put on vehicle drivers who commit offences.
Among other measures, more fixed and mobile radars will be deployed, installation of devices to control violators of traffic lights, intensifying traffic patrols, the completion of major road network and rehabilitation of existing ones and addressing incidents’ hot spots, training of drivers of utility vehicles, trucks and providing better ambulances, medical services and more effective awareness, as well as further scientific research and traffic studies to better understand the nature and behaviour of road users in the Sultanate.
Al Rowas said the points system will be activated to identify the points of any violation committed by driver and is calculated within one year of the date of the most recent traffic offence committed up to 12-point a year and anybody who violates that will be punished.
He said that a driving license will be issued upon completion of 18 years of age, adding that a temporary license will be issued for one year and the holder will be subject to specific regulations, including not to commit a certain number of irregularities and not to exceed the number of mentioned points 12 violating which the license will be withdrawn.
The team responsible for intensifying traffic surveillance and monitoring higher speeds, will start its work early in 2013 with the crew of the latest techniques in monitoring high speeds.
Oman News Agency
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