Fatal accidents in Bahrain reduced by 50%

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Forty-seven fatal accidents occurred in the year 2020.

There were 48 fatal accidents in the year 2019 and 41 in 2018 respectively.

According to the General Directorate of Traffic, by implementing adequate measures the Kingdom has been able to reduce the number of fatal accidents by 50%.

“The accident rate is the lowest in the Gulf region and the Middle East.

This is because of the increasing steps to monitor wrong traffic practices apart from boosting awareness activities.”

A study conducted two years ago revealed that despite the increase in the number of vehicles by 36 per cent in the last five years, the accidents in general reduced by 21.55pc and the fatal accidents by 30pc, while the fatalities dropped by 38pc and injuries-related accidents among drivers by 41pc and passengers by 52pc.

The General Directorate has always been highlighting the important role of the community in reducing traffic accidents by their traffic awareness and culture.

He said that the department works within three main points; enhancing traffic safety through studies and reports, regulation of traffic on the roads and the enhancement of traffic services through e-facilities.

The Director-General of Traffic, Brigadier Shaikh Abdulrahman bin Abdulwahab Al Khalifa, earlier revealed that traffic injuries and fatalities reduced by 60pc after the implementation of a comprehensive traffic strategy.

Launched in 2015, the strategy reduced such accidents by 25pc from last year until 2021, making Bahrain the top in the region in the drop of traffic accidents rates, he had stated.

He said that such achievement was a milestone despite an increase in the number of vehicles, heavy traffic and the construction of new cities as part of urban development.

Municipal councils received 175 requests from the part of the public about the traffic safety issue.

The subjects of these requests encompassed safety fence, pedestrian crossing facilities, pedestrian fence and speed humps.

The Works Ministry said that, upon receiving requests, site inspections were carried out by engineers along with technicians and municipal council members.

“A speed hump committee has been constituted comprising municipal council members, which is looking into 135 requests presented by the citizens or residents,” the ministry said.