UAE: Teach drivers why they have to be safe behind the wheel, road safety experts say

Khaleej Times

01-07-2025

There are hundreds of cameras to catch road safety violators. However, these devices alone are not enough to curb distracted driving — understanding driver psychology is essential to building a strong road safety culture, according to experts.
'There are more than 800 enforcement cameras all over Abu Dhabi but from my experience, cameras and enforcement are not enough,' said Mohammed Kishta, traffic safety engineering expert at Integrated Transport Centre — ITC Abu Dhabi. 'You need to teach drivers the reason why they have to be safe behind the wheel.'
He was speaking at a panel discussion at the Mobility Live event which took place in Dubai last week. Dr. Mustafa Aldah, Founder of MA Traffic Consulting, added that there are 'more than 600 speed cameras in addition to other devices' manning the roads of Dubai but the most important factor in accidents was that 'human beings were careless' when driving.
All experts unanimously agreed that mobile phones were the biggest distraction for drivers. 'Distractions are of three kinds — visual, physical and cognitive,' said Faisal Mustafa, Team Leader of Road Safety at WSP in the Middle East. 'Mobile phones have all three distractions.'
Affects multiple agencies
It was revealed earlier this year that distracted driving was the number one cause of fatalities in 2024, with a total of 384 road deaths recorded across the country.
Sumaya Al Neyadi, Section Head of Traffic Safety at ITC, emphasised that finding a solution is imperative and must come from multiple stakeholders.
'Distracted driving is the number one cause of road fatalities around the world,' she said. 'When there's a fatal accident, it doesn't just impact the police or emergency services. All agencies — including the Department of Health, hospitals, police, and Civil Defence — must respond. So, everyone should come together to find solutions.'
She added that education is key to changing community mindsets.
'We need more awareness campaigns so that drivers understand the dangers of distraction,' she said. 'We need to help them become aware of what happens after an accident.'
According to Faisal, even city design, confusing traffic lights, and flawed infrastructure can be sources of distraction. Regular road audits are conducted across the UAE to identify and rectify such problem areas.
Building habits
One expert pointed out that the behaviour of parents behind the wheel plays a significant role in shaping how their children will drive in the future.
'A study done in Australia shows that children as young as four, sitting in the backseat, begin learning driving behaviours from their parents,' said Faisal. 'If the parents are talking on the phone and driving distracted, their children are more likely to adopt those habits when they grow up.'
Dr. Mohammed Shawky, Professor of Traffic Engineering at Ain Shams University, added that road safety education should begin in schools.
'If you want a culture shift in road safety, you need to target children early,' he said. 'Studies have shown that children who receive road safety lessons urge their parents to stop only in designated areas and disembark more safely.'
Dr. Mustafa concluded by saying that road safety needs to be treated as a public health priority. 'It should be addressed just like cancer or heart disease,' he said, 'if we want to reduce fatality rates significantly.'