Reduced speed limits to take effect on October 12

  DUBAI – The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on Wednesday that the maximum speed limit on the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road will be reduced from 120 kmph to 110 kmph starting October 15. According to reports, the RTA and Dubai Police made the decision to reduce the speed limit on the two highways following a spate of accidents that have occurred there in the last two years. Dubai Police said since the beginning of last year, 39 people have lost their lives in accidents on both highways and that at least 60 per cent of the accidents were due to overspeeding. The two agencies warned motorists that as a result of the drop in speed limit, cameras on both highways will catch speeding vehicles at 131 kmph instead of the current speed of 141kmph. Maitha Mohammad Bin Adai, chief executive of the RTA's Traffic and Roads Agency, said: "Lowering the speed limits on the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed and Emirates roads is a result of elaborate traffic safety studies and analyses of traffic accident data along with their causes over the past years. It resulted in addressing several traffic safety requirements such as pedestrian bridges, safety rails, and truck lay-by areas." "Controlling the speed limits is one of the most effective measures of reducing traffic accidents. The procedure of controlling the speed limits is based on several criteria highlighted by the design speed of the road, and the actual speed observed by the majority of drivers. It also rests on the extent of urbanization on both sides of the road, pedestrian traffic, availability of schools, mosques and other vital facilities. It also depends on the level of traffic accidents that took place on the road, traffic volume, and the high probability of serial accidents." Maj. Gen. Mohammad Saif Al Zaffein, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, for his part, said: "The objective of reducing the speed limits on the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road is to curb traffic accidents, especially fatal accidents, and step up the safety of users on both roads. Speed is a key contributing or associated factor for at least 60 per cent of traffic road fatalities." "The move is compatible with the Dubai Police strategy aimed at reducing traffic accidents to zero percent per 100 of the population." GAC/Expat 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