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Integrated efforts needed to reduce accidents: ROP

Muscat - Traffic safety is a critical issue that impacts the lives of all members of society, especially with the increasing number of vehicles and the expansion of the road network in the Sultanate of Oman, which requires intensifying and combining official and societal efforts to instill a culture of compliance with traffic regulations. The Royal Oman Police said it continues to protect lives and provide a safe traffic environment, contributing to the national development process. The results of this effort are evident in the decline in traffic accident rates in recent years. Brigadier Engineer Ali bin Salim Al Falahi, Director General of Traffic at the Royal Oman Police, said that traffic safety institutes in the Sultanate's governorates play a pivotal role in promoting traffic culture among drivers and applicants for driving licenses. Traffic Safety Institutes He said the traffic safety institutes' commitment to ensuring the quality of training, based on well-thought-out plans to develop human resources and provide ongoing training for traffic safety institute trainers, in cooperation with specialized agencies, to equip them with modern training methods to cover all aspects of traffic and evaluate the training process. Traffic safety institutes train school bus drivers as part of a preventive driving program in coordination with the Ministry of Education. The results of this program are reviewed by monitoring the drivers' performance in transporting students, which has resulted in improved driver performance and a reduction in their rate of traffic violations. He stated that traffic safety institutes in the governorates offer specialized training programs, the most important of which are the defensive driving training curriculum, the vehicle driving instructor training curriculum, the examiner training curriculum, the taxi driver training curriculum, the heavy vehicle driver training curriculum, the rehabilitation curriculum for traffic violations and accidents perpetrators, in addition to the first aid curriculum, and the traffic signals and road signs curriculum. Technology advancement Regarding new technological developments, such as self-driving cars, and their impact on traffic safety, the Royal Oman Police stated that it recently launched smart traffic monitoring systems and is working on future projects that include artificial intelligence-based traffic monitoring. This paves the way for dealing with smart vehicles by monitoring global developments and assessing risks. ROP is working to monitor the latest technologies in the field of smart and autonomous vehicles, and is studying the experiences of other countries to develop a future regulatory framework that suits the Omani environment. The risks associated with new technologies are being analyzed, such as the safety of autonomous vehicles and who bears legal responsibility in the event of any type of accident. Traffic signals ROP is working to improve the smart safety infrastructure by updating traffic signals to be compatible with Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), improving automated traffic monitoring systems using advanced technologies, and installing smart surveillance cameras on main roads. National Road Safety Committee Regarding the role of the National Road Safety Committee, Brigadier Engineer Ali bin Salim Al Falahi, Director General of Traffic at the Royal Oman Police, explained that the committee is working to create strategies and outline guidelines for traffic safety and implement them on the ground in cooperation with relevant government institutions. Among its most prominent recommendations are the development of a national strategy to reduce traffic accidents and the development of plans for media coverage to spread awareness and enhance traffic culture among various segments of society. He added that the recommendations include involving civil society members and organizations, as well as government and private entities, in traffic awareness efforts, including traffic safety courses in schools in the Sultanate of Oman, highlighting the role of traffic safety institutes in spreading traffic awareness among road users, identifying areas where accidents recur, and developing appropriate solutions. The Brigadier emphasized the importance of including traffic safety courses in school curricula, given their direct impact on reducing traffic accidents and fostering a culture of adherence to traffic rules and etiquette from an early age. This is an absolute necessity for protecting lives and property. He pointed out that studies indicate that early awareness among students can reduce accidents resulting from ignorance of traffic rules and help instill positive behaviors among school and university students. He praised the existing cooperation between the Royal Oman Police and the Ministry of Education, which aims to spread traffic awareness and instill traffic culture among school students. The first initiative began with the implementation of the "Road Friends" (VIA) pilot program in the 2022/2023 academic year. Following the success achieved by this initiative, the team was keen to expand the scope of the program to include 33 schools in various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman. The program will conclude its success by the end of 2024, producing an educated generation aware of traffic rules, to benefit their peers in schools, their families, and the surrounding areas. He said that the Royal Oman Police is currently working, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, to design and produce specialized digital content on traffic safety, targeting early childhood education and the first cycle in schools, and instilling many concepts and behaviors related to traffic safety. Dhofar He pointed out that the General Traffic Department, in cooperation with relevant authorities, implements several awareness campaigns throughout the year targeting various segments of society. The most prominent of these is the Dhofar Autumn Exhibition, which targets annual autumn visitors and educates drivers, whether on their way to Dhofar Governorate or residing there. He explained that the most important reasons for the decrease in traffic accidents are the commitment and awareness of road users and drivers, the provision of safe roads for vehicles, and the efforts of the General Traffic Department to raise the level of traffic safety and continuous awareness among all segments of society. Regarding the most prominent challenges hindering the continued decline in traffic accidents in the future, the Brigadier Engineer, Director General of Traffic, said that the increasing number of vehicles is one of the most significant challenges facing the city, along with population growth and urban expansion. This places an increasing burden on existing road networks and infrastructure, increasing the likelihood of traffic accidents. Reliance on Public vehicles He noted that challenges also include a lack of public transportation and heavy reliance on private vehicles, which leads to severe road congestion and an increased risk of traffic accidents, especially during rush hour. Bad behaviour He noted that improper traffic behaviors include using a mobile phone, speeding, not using a turn signal when changing lanes, not leaving a safe distance, overtaking, and not adhering to pedestrian crossings, all of which contribute to traffic accidents. Vehicle maintenance He explained that the lack of regular vehicle maintenance by some road users leads to sudden breakdowns that may cause traffic accidents or contribute to the occurrence of other traffic accidents. Al Falahi said that traffic safety is a shared responsibility that requires significant efforts from individuals and society in all its sectors to reduce traffic accidents and protect lives and property. Individuals must adhere to traffic rules, avoid using mobile phones, and participate in awareness campaigns. Society and the private sector must also cooperate with educational institutions and relevant authorities to enhance traffic awareness.