During the holy month of Ramadan, offices and schools across the country implement different timings to ease daily life for all those fasting. This means that times when traffic peaks on the roads could vary from other months.
A Dubai-based insurance company that studied accident claims during the holy month last year, has found that:
motorists must take extra caution between 1 pm and 4 pm as that is when most accidents take place on UAE roads during Ramadan. Wednesdays are the most dangerous weekdays, while weekends are the safest for road users.
Hundreds of accidents happen during Ramadan which can be attributed to specific lifestyle changes, noted insurance provider Tokio Marine and RoadSafetyUAE jointly analyzed 1,320 motor insurance claims from March 22 to April 20, 2023, to come up with insights and raise awareness to protect road users.
“UAE motorists need to be especially careful with regards to the behavior of other drivers during Ramadan because, in more than 50 percent of accidents, the third party is at fault; while 36 percent is shared fault,”
noted the study.
Peak accident time
The peak accident day time from 1 pm to 4 pm accounts for 35 percent of road accidents, followed by the late morning rush hour from 9 am to 12 noon at 21 percent.
Midweek or Wednesday is the most dangerous working day at 19 percent, followed by Monday and Thursday both at 16 percent, while Tuesdays see 15 percent of accidents that go down on Friday at 13 percent. Weekends or Saturdays and Sundays see fewer accidents at 12 and 9 percent respectively.
The study also revealed motorists in the age bracket of 30-39 years are most vulnerable, followed by those in the age bracket of 40-49.
Takako Matsuo, senior manager of Direct Business and Marketing at Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd said:
“Ramadan period poses a specific challenge to UAE road users and we want to contribute from our side to keep everyone safe on the road.”
The study noted
“fasting can result in dehydration and low blood sugar, which in turn can affect drivers’ attentiveness, concentration, vision and reaction. Irregular meal timings and sleep patterns also cause fatigue, exhaustion, impatience and distraction, which is reflected in early morning accident peaks.”
Always be extra careful
“All road users – motorists, pedestrians, motorcycle riders, bicyclists, etc. – must be extra careful during Ramadan,”
underscored Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of RoadSafetyUAE.
“The rush on the roads is a mix of psychological urges and physical needs and motorists might use this as an excuse to misbehave on the roads,”
he added.
RoadSafetyUAE shared the following tips for staying safe on the road:
- Be aware of your own potential limitations
- Expect the unexpected – drive defensively
- Plan for possible delays and add buffer time
- Always wear your seat belt
- Watch out during late morning rush hours
- Stay off the roads at sundown, if you can avoid it
- Try to anticipate sudden movements of other road users
- Keep a sufficient distance and do not tailgate
- Avoid fatigue and get enough sleep
- Pull over immediately when you feel drowsy
- Use public transport or taxis
News Source: Khaleej Times
