Doha: The number of deaths in traffic accidents in 2018 declined to 168 in Qatar, figuring 4.9 per every 100,000 persons, while in 2017 a total of 177 deaths occurred at a rate of 5.4 per 100,000 persons, said Brigadier Ibrahim Saad Al Sulaiti, Head of the Statistical Analysis Office at the Ministry of Interior.
He said that one of the most important indicators recorded was that Qatar’s average of 4.9 road accident deaths per 100,000 persons was a remarkable achievement as it is far below the global average.
“In 2008, 12 deaths per 100,000 people were recorded, which means a steady decline in the mortality rate between 2008 and 2018 by 59.2 percent,” said Brigadier Al Sulaiti.
Al Sulaiti was speaking at a press conference organised by the General Directorate of Traffic at the Traffic Headquarters in Madinat Khalifa to release the traffic statistics of 2018. Director General of Traffic Major General Muhammad Saad Al Kharji, and Brigadier Muhammad Abdullah Al Maliki, Secretary of National Traffic Safety Committee attended the press conference.
Brigadier Al Sulaiti said that the global average was 17.4 deaths per 100,000 persons, 9.2 per 100,000 persons in high-income countries, 9.3 in European countries and 24.1 deaths in low-income countries. The traffic statistics 2018 showed remarkable progress regarding reduction in the number of traffic accidents, deaths and traffic injuries.
Brigadier Al Sulaiti summed up the traffic statistics for 2018 in seven indicators compared to 2017. He pointed out that the number of vehicles increased by 4.3 percent in 2018 and driving licences by six percent in comparison with 2017.
Brigadier Ibrahim Saad Al Sulaiti, Head of the Statistical Analysis Office at the Ministry of Interior, giving a presentation at the press conference yesterday at the Traffic Headquarters in Madinat Khalifa.
“Despite this growth, the number of accidents with serious injuries declined by 5.8 percent in 2018 and death accidents declined by 3.1 percent,” said Brigadier Al Sulaiti. He said that serious injuries decreased by 17 percent and the number of deaths decreased by 5.1 percent.
“The statistics showed that 97.2 percent of the traffic accidents were without injuries, while minor accidents declined by 8.5 percent,” he said.
He said that the indicators show seven percent decrease in accidents compared to 2017, 3.1 percent decrease in deaths, 17 percent decrease in severity of accidents. “The decrease in traffic mortality was by 5.1 percent and the decrease in the number of serious injuries by 17 percent and in pedestrian mortality by 17.9 percent,” said Brigadier Al Sulaiti.
The Industrial Area witnessed the highest number of traffic accident deaths during 2018 with 14 cases, followed by Fareej Sudan with 13 cases, Leabaib with 11, Al Wakra and Sealine with eight cases each.
“The statistics reviewed the causes of traffic accidents in the Sealine area at four points including parents renting motor cycles for their young children, motor performances that do not meet safety and security requirements, using quad bikes with high-speed engines by unqualified drivers and the absence of panels indicating dangerous places,” said the official.
He also pointed to the measures taken by traffic authorities to reduce accidents in this area. “Those include setting up controls and requirements for registering motor cycles and vehicles intended for transporting tourists, conducting patrols in the area around the clock,” said Al Sulaiti.
Major General Mohammed Saad Al Kharji pointed to the growing awareness of young people, who became committed and keen to apply the rules of traffic and thanked the media, whose efforts help reach awareness messages to the public and spread traffic culture among all.
