DOHA: The average deaths in road traffic incidents in Qatar last year were 5.4 per 100,000 persons, a figure far below than world average of 17.4 per 100,000 persons.
This was announced by the General Directorate of Traffic yesterday in a press conference held at its headquarters about the traffic statistics of 2017 compared to 2016. The traffic statistics 2017 showed remarkable progress regarding reduction in the number of deaths and traffic injuries.
Brigadier Ibrahim Saad Al Sulaiti, Head of Statistical Analysis at Office of Interior Minister of Interior said that the most important international indicators achieved by Qatar last year, is the reduction in the mortality rate due to traffic accidents compared to global averages. The press conference was attended by Brig Ibrahim Saad Al Sulaiti, Head of Statistical Analysis office, Brig Mohammed Saad Al Kharji, DG of General Directorate of Traffic and Brig Muhammad Abdullah Al Maliki, Secretary of National Traffic Safety Committee and other senior officials.
Al Sulaiti added that the number of traffic deaths per ten thousand vehicles, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) is 10 - 12 deaths, whereas Qatar has recorded 1.17 deaths for the same number of vehicles. Also, global figures recorded three deaths per 100 injured while figures recorded in Qatar were two deaths for the same number persons of injured. Despite the number of vehicles increased in 2017 compared with 2016, the number of traffic accidents declined by 2.4 percent and injuries declined by 1.3 percent as 6,140 cases were reported in 2016 while it was 6,061 in 2017. Serious injuries also declined by 14.8 percent from 872 in 2016 to 743 in 2017 and fatalities by 0.6 percent. About 97.5 percent of 240,333 traffic accidents reported in 2017 were without injuries.
Brigadier Muhammad Saad Al Kharji said that the positive achievements were due to enhancement of measures such as traffic awareness, road traffic control, driver qualification, test development, vehicle inspection and quality of ambulance services, which reduced the number of deaths as the ambulance response time reduced to 5 to 7 minutes in Doha.
Out of 177 died in road accidents in 2017, 45 percent were drivers, 23 percent passengers while 32 percent were pedestrians. He said the causes of mortality were high speed and reluctance to fasten seat belts. He said that the department has developed curricula in driving schools, which helped make drivers responsible.
