Speeding continues to be the major villain on Qatar roads with more than 68% of the traffic violations in the country recorded in that category, data with the Traffic Department has revealed.
According to official statistics, 1,781,466 road traffic violations were recorded in Qatar last year. Of this 68.7% of the violations were found to be related to speeding.
Among the reasons cited for recording such a large number of speeding cases are increase in the length of expressways, rise in population, increase in the number of vehicles as well as drivers and the deployment of radar devices to detect speeding. The first three are also said to be the reasons for the high incidence of accidents and violations in the country.
Experts also say that reckless driving and lack of awareness also result in accidents and violations, pointing out that awareness initiatives have failed to reach the target groups, especially the youngsters.
Experts also called for the need for strict patrols in the cases where radars have failed to stop reckless driving.
“Immediate action will force drivers to 'think twice' before violating the speed limits. Several motorists and their family members have succumbed to accident injuries caused by reckless drivers,” they said.
“Recording of such a large number of speed violations means that we have a large network of radar devices and that these devices are effective in monitoring these types of violations. If we were left without these devices, we could not have recorded so many speed violations,” said traffic expert Ahmad al-Khulaifi.
He pointed out that the traffic statistics showed that there was a decrease in the rate of traffic accidents in 2018 by 9.2% compared to 2017 despite the increase in the number of population and vehicles. “Most of the traffic accidents were simple ones without injuries and most of the injuries caused were of a minor nature,” he said.
Quoting Traffic Department figures, local Arabic newspaper Arrayah reported that 97.2% of the accidents were without injuries while 90.5% of the injuries were minor.
According to another expert quoted by the daily, there is a need to ensure that the awareness programmes reach the targeted groups.
Among the reasons cited for recording such a large number of speeding cases are increase in the length of expressways, rise in population, increase in the number of vehicles as well as drivers and the deployment of radar devices to detect speeding. The first three are also said to be the reasons for the high incidence of accidents and violations in the country.
Experts also say that reckless driving and lack of awareness also result in accidents and violations, pointing out that awareness initiatives have failed to reach the target groups, especially the youngsters.
Experts also called for the need for strict patrols in the cases where radars have failed to stop reckless driving.
“Immediate action will force drivers to 'think twice' before violating the speed limits. Several motorists and their family members have succumbed to accident injuries caused by reckless drivers,” they said.
“Recording of such a large number of speed violations means that we have a large network of radar devices and that these devices are effective in monitoring these types of violations. If we were left without these devices, we could not have recorded so many speed violations,” said traffic expert Ahmad al-Khulaifi.
He pointed out that the traffic statistics showed that there was a decrease in the rate of traffic accidents in 2018 by 9.2% compared to 2017 despite the increase in the number of population and vehicles. “Most of the traffic accidents were simple ones without injuries and most of the injuries caused were of a minor nature,” he said.
Quoting Traffic Department figures, local Arabic newspaper Arrayah reported that 97.2% of the accidents were without injuries while 90.5% of the injuries were minor.
According to another expert quoted by the daily, there is a need to ensure that the awareness programmes reach the targeted groups.