Today's Edition
DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, Acting Director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, confirmed that the GCC Traffic Week 2024, under the theme "Driving Without a Phone," aims to enhance the spread of traffic culture, establish proper traffic behaviour, and unify efforts towards creating a community culture covering various aspects of traffic safety, serving the vision of police leadership in achieving the desired goals.
He mentioned that GCC Traffic Week is an opportunity to exchange information and experiences with participants, highlighting that the presence of common traffic phenomena is due to similar conditions, which makes it a shared responsibility to raise awareness, address road dangers, prepare plans and programmes, and benefit from diverse experiences in making benchmark comparisons, sharing successful experiences, and learning from them.
Brigadier Juma bin Suwaidan reported that Dubai Police have prepared several programmes and activities during the GCC Traffic Week for 2024 under the theme "Driving Without a Phone." This includes organising awareness lectures in government departments, educational institutions, and companies, scheduling field visits to offer advice to road users, in addition to the regulatory aspect, and utilising various social media platforms to spread the objectives and goals of Traffic Week.
He highlighted that being distracted by a phone while driving is one of the dangerous violations that endanger the lives of road users. He pointed out that using a phone while driving diverts the driver's attention and doubles the likelihood of accidents, as it impairs a significant portion of the vital functions necessary for safe driving.
"The ability of a person to react quickly to avoid impending danger decreases especially when using the phone, browsing social media or texting," Brigadier Juma bin Suwaidan noted.
He emphasised that this violation is behind severe traffic accidents, noting that many drivers do not realise that being distracted by a phone while driving poses a threat to their lives and the lives of others, as a few seconds of inattention can lead to an accident that costs the driver and innocent others dearly.
