RTA conducts workshop on speed management

A number of papers were presented discussing speed management on roads, the best global practices and experiments in the field of traffic safety, and the optimum means of ensuring safety of road users.

The workshop was opened by Khalfan Al Barwani, Manager of Traffic Safety at RTA Traffic & Roads Agency. In attendance were more than 100 participants and professionals from the RTA, General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, the Ministry of Interior, the Australian Road Researches Board, and several other local and international experts.

Experts panel include Engineer Michael Tziotis, group manager of ARRB Group in Australia, specialized in safety studies, leading ARRB's research into road safety and traffic, including the development of Australia's new road safety and road design guidelines; Engineer Kay Fitpzatrick, senior researcher at Texas Transportation Institute, USA, and Superintendent Harry Hayes, from Victoria Police. Victoria is a State of Australia that has been very pro-active in road safety, achieving significant reductions in crashes and fatalities. Harry led the police contribution for over ten years. The presentation covered various aspects related to driving speed, factors contributing to speed, engineering and applied speed standards, and enforcement tools on roads.

The purpose of holding such a workshop is to identify the global practices in selecting the design speed, road speed limits, and enforcement measures. This underscores RTA efforts to enhance road safety levels, and upgrade the awareness level of motorists & road users; a matter which will ultimately result in reduced number of accidents and related injuries.

The workshop focused on addressing risks of excessive speed; which has become a key factor of fatal accidents, as it accounts for 80% of total fatal accidents reported. From a total number of accidents made last year 2007, 165 accidents were attributed to excessive speed. These in turn resulted in 48 fatal accidents, causing 66 fatalities, 31 serious injuries, 109 moderate injuries, and 177 minor injuries i.e. there are 383 injuries in total for which excessive driving speed is responsible.

RTA strategy is to step up the level of transit safety through key four elements. The first is to impact the attitude of road users through promoting traffic awareness, enhancing monitoring and law enforcement, and developing driver licensing systems by making a separation between training and licensing entities. The second element is to improve safety standards applicable to roads infrastructure & transit system. The third one is to improve safety standards in transport modes by upgrading vehicle licensing & carrying out periodical inspections. The fourth element is improving environment-related safety standards through keeping in place suitable lighting, and rainwater drainage systems.

"To implement this strategy, RTA is adopting a number of initiatives such as taking remedial actions in the dangerous traffic spots which were a scene of horrific accidents, raising the bar for traffic safety in all new road projects, and introducing road safety audit system. Other tools also play a role in this regard such as holding training sessions for traffic & road engineers, and launching comprehensive awareness campaigns at all aspects; such as lectures, seminars, training workshops, and awareness campaigns targeting motorists and road users," said Hussain Mohammed Al Banna.

He concluded his comments by saying: "Traffic Dep't at RTA Traffic & Roads Agency is currently revising maximum & minimum speed limits of some roads in the emirate. Work is in hand to publish a Road Speed Management Guide, such that it will be a reference document for design speed standards, and the latest enforcement & educative techniques of driver attitudes. Such a drive goes hand in hand with the vision of the RTA to provide safe and smooth transport for all."