Deaths in road accidents down 32% in two years

Doha, Qatar: Serious road accidents resulting in deaths have fallen by more than 32 percent over the past two years, thanks to concerted efforts by th...

Doha, Qatar: Serious road accidents resulting in deaths have fallen by more than 32 percent over the past two years, thanks to concerted efforts by the authorities to improve road safety and infrastructure.

Data from the National Planning Council (NPC) show that a total of 52 people died in road accidents in the first four months of this year, compared to 77 deaths reported in the same period in 2022, a 32.4 percent decrease. Improvement in road safety comes as a result of continuous efforts by the Ministry of Interior’s General Directorate of Traffic to raise awareness and ensure compliance with traffic rules, not least the speed limit and use of seatbelts. Similarly, building a modern and most advanced road infrastructure and an annual inspection regime ensuring vehicle fitness have also contributed to improved road safety indicators.

According to NPC figures, a total of 3,163 traffic accidents were reported between January and April this year. However, an overwhelming majority of these cases were minor in nature, as there were only 172 major accidents. January saw 843 accidents, 754 came in February, and 804 and 762 accident cases were registered in March and April respectively. Of the total 52 deaths, 17 were reported in January, 12 in February, 13 in March and 10 in April.

The same period last year saw a total of 3,041 road accidents, resulting in 58 deaths. Of the total, 179 were classified as major accidents while the rest as minor. January 2023 saw 788 accidents, 668 were registered in February 2023, while 806 and 779 were logged in March and April 2023 respectively. The January-April period in 2022 saw a total of 2,904 road accidents, resulting in 77 deaths, according to the National Planning Council. 

To ensure effective implementation of road safety rules, the traffic police have started monitoring seatbelt and mobile phone use violations through the surveillance cameras installed along roads and intersections across the country.