Road accidents decline 16% in Ramadhan

Observer

01-04-2025

Road traffic accidents in the Sultanate of Oman during the holy month of Ramadhan have shown a drastic decline, thanks to the all-around efforts of governmental as well as non-governmental agencies, according to the Royal Oman Police (ROP).
According to the Directorate General of Traffic Safety, road accidents reduced by 16 per cent compared to last year's Ramadhan, as did the casualties and injuries.
"From our statistics, the number of accidents in the country during the holy month of Ramadhan has reduced by 16 per cent compared to last year's Ramadhan," said Lieutenant Colonel Saif bin Ahmed al Ramadhani, Director, Executive Office, National Committee for Road Safety at the DG of Traffic Safety, Royal Oman Police.
Al Ramadhani said that the all-around efforts of the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and other authorities have paid off and the rates of accidents are under control compared to some 10 years ago.
"Based on the available statistics, there has been a decrease in traffic accidents by 16 per cent in March 2025, compared to March 2024. Generally speaking, the overall reduction amounts to 24 per cent compared to last year. The increasing awareness campaigns and educational initiatives have worked over a period of time," he said.
According to him, the major reasons behind traffic accidents in Oman are manifold.
"Out of the major reasons behind accidents, speeding, usage of mobile phones and fatigue driving are the three main reasons for accidents in the country; and the root cause of 87 per cent of accidents is attributed to human error," he said.
"Human behaviour, human errors and reckless driving are the main reasons followed by vehicle factors. Our departments pay careful attention to decide the safety measures of the vehicles from time to time; and the road factor where the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MoTCIT) is building better roads and other infrastructure," he added.
Pre-Iftar time constitutes the highest number of accidents: Out of the total accidents, the pre-Iftar period was highly volatile in terms of accidents and fatalities as people rushed to reach their destinations before breaking fast, constituting 35 per cent of accidents. Most of the accidents took place between 1 pm to 5 pm. This is followed by the peak traffic time in the late morning from 9 to 12 pm, which constitutes 21 per cent of the total number of accidents.
He further urged all motorists to pay more attention and be extra cautious on the road as traffic accidents usually show a spike during the holy month, during the pre-Iftar hours in particular.