Motorists across UAE are becoming more behaved, according to a study done through a program formed to promote safety on the road.
“For the first time in this long-term perception study (since 2015), all perceived behavior trends point in the right direction: UAE motorists observe less lane swerving, less speeding, less distracted driving, less tailgating and overall less reckless driving,” said Thomas Edelmann, managing director of RoadSafetyUAE.
Despite these very positive trends, more needs to be done, as the absolute levels of perceived misbehavior are still high, he cautioned. “The hard work of all involved stakeholders must continue, especially with regards to education and creating awareness for proper conduct,” he said.
Furthermore, commute times decrease and less respondents have been involved in an accident than ever within the study period, according to Edelmann, adding that, “surprisingly, and reversing a long-term trend, UAE motorists state a reduced overall driving enjoyment and a desire for further improved road infrastructure.”
The official said it is very difficult to measure the impact of road safety improvement measures “and we believe, that this long-term perception study is an excellent tool to provide feedback to the concerned stakeholders, namely governmental entities, the media, corporations and awareness platforms like RoadSafetyUAE. As the study tracks the perception trends linked to the main killers on our roads, the insights are priceless.”
Highlights
The study was commissioned by RoadSafetyUAE and QIC Insured and conducted by YouGov in August 2017, based on the views of a representative sample of 1,010 UAE residents.
UAE motorists record the following healthy perception trends within the last six months:
- Dangerous driving overall: -8%
- Tailgating: -12%
- Distracted driving: -10%
- Lane Swerving: -9%
- Speeding: -7%
- Involved in a collision: -5%
- Longer commute times: -10%
However, it must be stated, that despite the positive TRENDS, the ABSOLUTE levels of perceived misbehavior are still very high.
The positive trends above are contrasted by surprising trend reversals with regards to:
- Driving Enjoyment: -5%
- Traffic infrastructure has improved: TREND -5% less than in the previous cycle, however a staggering 78% ABSOLUTE agree that road traffic infrastructure has improved.
The details of the UAE Road Safety Monitor can be found in the ‘featured’ section on: http://www.roadsafetyuae.com/statistics/. The study will be repeated every six months with the next scheduled release in mid Q1/2018.
RoadSafetyUAE partners RTA, Ministry of Education, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Dubai Health Authority, and the private sector.
