Website to increase traffic safety awareness

These are some of the grim statistics behind a new website - www.drivesafelyarabia.org - sponsored by BP Middle East to help educate the public on traffic safety.

The site points out that the region has the worst per capita ratio of road deaths record in the world. Oman leads with an average of 23 fatalities per 100,000 population every year, closely followed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE with 21 and 20 respectively.

By stark comparison, this contrasts to less than three deaths per 100,000 across most of Europe, two in the USA and 1.5 in Japan.

'Traffic accidents in the Gulf could and should be reduced,' said Jeremy Bowen, chief representative of BP Middle East. He points out that in Queensland, Australia, a concerted six-year campaign involving both the public and private sectors helped reduce road deaths by 52 per cent, serious injuries by 36 per cent and crashes by 22 per cent.

Companies can play an important part in reducing road accidents, as BP has itself demonstrated. In 2001 the company, which employs over 100,000 people worldwide, adopted a zero tolerance approach to its own employees motoring offences. Its 'Golden Rules' on driving resulted in a 50 per cent reduction in accidents and a 62 per cent reduction in serious accidents in just two years.

The Drive Safely Arabia project was launched a few weeks ago by BP and Dubai police with a free Brake Fluid Testing service, to raise the public's awareness of the importance of checking their brake fluids. In the Gulf, because of the high humidity and temperature, brake fluids can loose their effectiveness in as little as two years.

All BP lubricants stations in the UAE are now offering the brake fluid testing service for free.

'Over the years we have worked with local police and authorities in the Gulf to support initiatives such as the GCC Traffic Week. But regrettably the situation keeps getting worse rather than better. We are all road users, so are our families, and employees, so it is everyone's responsibility to do whatever they can. As the website says, education is the first step towards reversing the tragic increase in road deaths,' said Bowen.

The Drive Safely Arabia site contains a feast of valuable information about traffic safety initiatives, such as braking distances, car maintenance tips, traffic accident statistics, and links to other road safety organisations around the world.