Today's Edition
A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)
A survey of motor insurance claims during the holy month of Ramadan in 2025 has found that the peak accident period in the UAE falls between noon and 6pm, accounting for the largest share of incidents, followed by the 6pm to midnight window.
The analysis was conducted by Al Wathba Insurance in collaboration with RoadSafetyUAE, based on 2,771 motor insurance claims filed between March 1 and March 29, 2025. The objective was to identify patterns in accidents during Ramadan and generate actionable insights to improve road safety awareness.
The data show that the pre-Iftar period between 12 noon and 6pm accounted for 43% of all accidents, making it the most critical time of day. This was followed by the post-Iftar/Suhoor window between 6pm and midnight, which represented 29% of claims.
The single most accident-prone two-hour stretch was between 2pm and 4pm, which alone accounted for 17% of all claims. The findings underline heightened risk in the late afternoon hours, when fatigue, dehydration, and low blood sugar levels may begin to affect fasting motorists.
Mondays and Thursdays emerged as the most dangerous weekdays, each contributing 17% of total accidents. In contrast, Sundays were the safest day of the week, accounting for just 9% of claims.
The data indicate that in 65% of accidents, a third party was at fault, while 35% were attributed to the policyholder’s own fault. Drivers aged between 36 and 40 were identified as the most accident-prone age group, accounting for 24% of claims.
Muralikrishnan Raman, Chief Financial Officer of Al Wathba Insurance, said, “We collect a significant amount of claims data which we thoroughly analyse, and we want to share the key findings for the good of the people and society in the UAE. In this instance, we analysed 2,771 UAE claims data. The Ramadan period poses a specific challenge to UAE road users, and we want to contribute from our side to keep everyone safe on the roads. Al Wathba Insurance is in a great position to share real-life data benefitting UAE road users.”
Thomas Edelmann, Founder and Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE, said motorists need to be especially cautious during Ramadan, noting that more than 65% of accidents involve third-party fault and urging drivers to watch out particularly during the pre-Iftar hours between noon and 6pm.
When asked whether accident trends have changed over the years, Edelmann told Aletihad, “It has been pretty stable over the years, and we haven’t really seen any major change. The reason we conduct this analysis almost every year is to raise awareness about staying safe during Ramadan. The best way to do that is to support what we say with figures and facts. We always aim to be as fact-oriented and evidence-based as possible in our argumentation. That is why, in this case, we seek the support of insurance companies. They are sitting on a true gold mine of data, and they are very supportive of using it for the good of society.”
According to the analysis, fasting can lead to dehydration and low blood sugar, which may affect attentiveness, concentration, vision, and reaction times. Unusual meal timings and disrupted sleep patterns can also result in fatigue, impatience and distraction, contributing to accident peaks during certain times of the day.
Road safety experts advise fasting motorists to be aware of their own potential limitations, expect the unexpected and drive defensively, keep a safe distance and avoid tailgating, plan journeys properly and allow extra time to avoid rushing or speeding, avoid driving at sundown if possible, use headlights during dusk before Iftar, ensure adequate sleep and pull over immediately if feeling drowsy, always wear a seat belt, and consider using public transport or taxis where feasible.
Non-fasting drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists are urged to be considerate towards fasting road users, adopt a defensive driving approach, remain particularly vigilant during peak accident periods around noon and early afternoon, anticipate sudden or irrational manoeuvres by other road users, and stay off the roads during peak hours if possible. “Weaker” traffic participants, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and e-scooter users, are urged to be extra careful of “irrational” moves by other road users during the fasting month.
The findings underscore that Ramadan requires extra vigilance from all traffic participants — fasting and non-fasting alike — to reduce accidents and ensure safer roads across the UAE.
