By Bindu Suresh Rai

Dubai’s traffic head has proposed a new plan to slash speed limits on the emirate’s major highways.



Speaking with Emirates 24|7, Major-General Mohammad Saif Al Zafeen, Dubai’s Traffic Police Head, said: “I have put forth a proposal to decrease the current speed limit on major highways across the emirate, from 120km per hour to 110kmph. This applies to all the arteries, including Sheikh Zayed Road, Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road.”



Al Zafeen said the reason behind this proposal was to curb reckless speeding on the major highways, which is the number one killer in traffic offenses.



Also under the scanner is the grace speed, which currently permits vehicles on certain highways to accelerate an additional 20km over the posted limit without being flashed by speed radars and cameras, and therefore not being fined.



His proposal comes close on the heels of a campaign launched by Dubai Police in April, titled ‘Speed Kills’, to create awareness to help motorists from over speeding.



Dubai Police said it aimed to slash road fatality rate this year by one-fifth.



By 2020, Dubai Police aims to reduce road deaths to zero per 100,000 residents.



The authority also announced its plan to cut the number of fatal accidents by 23 per cent, to less than 100 this year, compared to 123 deaths last year.



Al Zafeen added that it wasn’t just the maximum speed limit that was on the agenda, but he has also proposed raising the minimum speed on highways from the current 60kmph.



“I believe 60kmph is too low a limit to have on the highways, which can actually give rise to more accidents as people keep changing lanes repeatedly to overtake such cars,” he said. “I believe 90kmph is a good minimum speed limit to implement.



“Frustrated and angry drivers are the main causes behind casualties.”



As mentioned earlier, even the grace limit on highways is under scrutiny.



Currently, most of the major highways across the emirate permit the driver to exceed by 20kmph on the posted speed limit; Al Zafeen believes this should be slashed by 10kmph.



“If it is a 120kmph road, then the maximum permitted should not be 140kmph, as it stands currently, but 130kmph,” he explained.



Quizzed what is the time frame on this proposal and Al Zafeen was noncommittal on the dates, or whether it would be approved.



“We strive to make the roads of Dubai safer for residents and we put forth plans regularly to ensure this,” he added.

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