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Yemen to take on traffic issues, making streets safer with fewer fatalities

Posted in: News Varieties
Written By: Eman al-Jarady
Article Date: May 10, 2008 - 3:00:02 AM
TRAFFIC.jpg
Traffic administration officials are putting up new traffic signs such as these throughout the country and are distributing leaflets on safer driving to all drivers on the streets in and outside of Yemen’s cities.
Traffic accidents are not only considered local and regional matter, but a daily and international issue, too, said Abdullah Ali, managing director of the Traffic Authority. To address this matter, Yemen has launched the Arab Traffic Week from May 5 to 10.

“The aim for this week is to educate people about traffic rules. Traffic accidents are an unrivaled war leaving tragic memories and severe financial impacts,” added Ali.

Official statistics showed that on Saturday, April 26 alone, at least 38 people were killed and 245 were wounded in traffic accidents, including 165 serious injuries. According to the official report issued by the General Administration of Traffic (GAT), accidents in 2006 reached 13,011 incidents which caused the deaths of more than 2,711 people and injured at least 17,873 more.

The number of traffic accidents in the last week of April exceeded 230, claiming the lives of 30 and either seriously or minorly injuring 265 people. 

According to the General Department of Traffic’s weekly traffic statistics, the accidents that happened from April 2 through 8 resulted in the deaths of 30 people, and injuries were distributed among 140 crash incidents, 74 run-over incidents, and 24 car takeovers. 

Estimated material losses from these accidents totaled YR296,380,000. The blame for the incidents could have been attributed to speeding and negligence.  

The traffic statistics from the al-Hodeidah governorate explained that 73 people died and 395 others suffered various injuries in the 287 traffic accidents which occurred in January, February and March.  

This traffic awareness week aims to cast light on causes and serious consequences of traffic accidents, especially among youth who make up 40 percent of traffic incident victims in Yemen. Many activities will be held to raise consciousness regarding traffic rules and road safety.

Ali emphasized the importance of working together to think of all attempts and facilities in order to face this problem and to decrease its negative impact. All that will be achieved through awareness of traffic rules among people.

Ali says that the serious reasons behind accidents are carelessness of drivers, ignorance of rules, as well as the problems that face out-dated cars. He says that human error is considered the first and major reason behind accidents. 

“I agree with the idea of establishing a civil committee to protect road accidents, and the idea was praised by the prime minister and the Minister of Interior, Rashad al-Alimi, as well,” said Ali.

“This week is very important to develop traffic social awareness and to help in some way or another to decrease the number of accidents and avoid death,” says the Minister of the State, Yahya al-Shoua’bi, adding, “This week aims to educate people of the dangers of speed and how to keep cars in safe, operating conditions.” 

Traffic should not be talked about just this week, but rather all the time. We all see the seat belt posters with “Fasten your seat belt,” but this has no affect on how fast people are driving.

“We just read seat belt posters, but what should first be done is speed posters. If we did so that may decrease the number of accidents,” says Salem Mohammed, a bus driver. He says that every one drives the speed he likes, not according to a set, specific speed which could help to save lives.

Mohammed also points out that each street should have a determined speed according to the condition of the street. “Some streets are crowed because they are the main road and some should be high speed streets. Posters could tell the driver the speed by which they should drive.” 

“Drivers do not care about rules and do not want to abide by rules. There should be awareness of how people should respect each other in the streets. Sometimes, I cannot cross the streets because of drivers,” adds Mohammed. He says that sometimes he himself does not drive in some streets in order to avoid their bad conditions, as well as the bad behavior of bus drivers who do not respect one another. 

“There should be awareness in schools as it was in my schools days, so that children can know how to across streets and save themselves from death. When a child is educated, he or she can grow up with these ideas stuck in their minds,” says Mohammed.  

Traffic accidents take many lives and make people lose their beloved ones. Taking care of roads and not driving at very high speeds can keep our friends and family alive instead of losing them to preventable accidents.