Enhanced Safety Measures Needed: Road Safety Experts Advocate for Teaching Drivers the Importance of Safe Driving in the UAE, as Current Radar Count is Insufficient
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a strong emphasis is being placed on fostering a culture of responsible and attentive driving as part of its broader road safety and transport modernization efforts. Mohammed Kishta, a traffic safety engineering expert at Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) Abu Dhabi, underscores the importance of understanding driver psychology in this endeavour.
Recent studies suggest that children as young as four begin learning driving behaviours from their parents, even while sitting in the backseat [1]. This insight underscores the significance of parents' driving habits in shaping their children's future driving styles. Consequently, the UAE is focusing on educating parents about safe driving practices and urging them to disembark only in designated areas for the safety of their children [2].
The UAE's strategy to build a strong road safety culture is multifaceted. Comprehensive legal reforms have been enacted, such as Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024, which tightens eligibility and oversight for drivers. This law lowers the minimum driving age to 17 while ensuring applicants meet strict medical and fitness standards [3]. Licensing authorities can now suspend or revoke licenses if drivers are deemed unfit physically, mentally, or on public safety grounds.
Stricter driving instruction regulations are another key component of the UAE's approach. Only certified instructors are authorized to train new drivers, and trainees are restricted from driving in populated areas until demonstrating sufficient vehicle control. This measure addresses driver psychology by improving training quality and confidence before exposure to complex traffic conditions [3].
Expanded enforcement powers also play a crucial role. Traffic officers can now arrest drivers on the spot for serious offenses like reckless driving, driving under the influence, and causing injury or death. This immediate accountability helps deter risky behaviors and encourages drivers to be more attentive and cautious [1].
Awareness campaigns focusing on responsible behavior, such as the "Accident-Free Summer" campaign, promote good driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and awareness of factors like tyre safety under extreme temperatures. These campaigns emphasize driver responsibility and environmental factors influencing safe driving, aiming to reduce distractions and inattentiveness on the road [2].
Child and occupant safety campaigns, like the "Safe Summer" campaign, stress the importance of seat belt usage, proper child restraints, and vigilant behavior around children in vehicles. This promotes a safety-first mindset among drivers and passengers [4].
While explicit programs targeting distracted driving psychology, such as mobile phone use, are not detailed in the available information, the broad approach combining legal enforcement, rigorous training, and public awareness reflects a comprehensive strategy to foster a culture of attentiveness, responsibility, and safety on UAE roads.
Regular road audits are conducted across the UAE to identify and rectify problem areas. City design, confusing traffic lights, and flawed infrastructure are potential sources of distraction, and addressing these issues is essential for improving road safety [5].
Road safety needs to be treated as a public health priority, according to Dr. Mustafa Aldah, Founder of MA Traffic Consulting. If we want to reduce fatality rates significantly, road safety should be addressed just like cancer or heart disease [6]. To achieve a culture shift in road safety, experts suggest targeting children early, as suggested by Dr. Mohammed Shawky [7].
Education and awareness campaigns are key to changing community mindsets about the dangers of distraction, according to Sumaya Al Neyadi, Section Head of Traffic Safety at ITC. Finding a solution to distracted driving should involve multiple stakeholders, she emphasizes [8].
In 2024, distracted driving was the number one cause of fatalities, resulting in a total of 384 road deaths across the country [9]. Mobile phones are identified as the biggest distraction for drivers by all experts [10]. Road safety education should begin in schools, according to Dr. Mohammed Shawky [11].
In conclusion, the UAE's approach to road safety is comprehensive, leveraging legal rigor, education, and behavioral awareness to create safer driving conditions, reduce distracted driving, and build a sustainable road safety culture aligned with the UAE’s smart transport vision [1][2][3][4].
- Parents' driving habits significantly influence their children's future driving styles, making education about safe driving practices vital for parents in the UAE.
- The UAE's road safety culture strategy includes comprehensive legal reforms such as stricter driver eligibility and oversight, as well as strict medical and fitness standards for applicants.
- Stricter driving instruction regulations have been enacted in the UAE, limiting inexperienced drivers from operating vehicles in populated areas and emphasizing high-quality training before exposure to complex traffic conditions.
- Enforcement powers have been expanded for traffic officers in the UAE, allowing them to arrest drivers on the spot for serious offenses and encourage more responsible behavior.
- Awareness campaigns focusing on responsible driving behavior, vehicle maintenance, and safety factors like tyre safety under extreme temperatures aim to reduce distractions and educate the public about safe driving practices.
- To address the issue of distracted driving, particularly concerning mobile phone use, road safety education should begin in schools, with a focus on cultivating a safety-first mindset among children for a culture shift in UAE road safety.
