Speed ‘pandemic’ in the UAE requires education and enforcement

Enforcement and education are needed to stop the "pandemic" of road crashes involving young men. Other views: Expat children should learn Arabic, Indian diplomat polarises views, and breastfeeding cannot be mandated.

Doctors in the UAE say there is a “pandemic” of young men killed or left in need of intensive long-term care through accidents on the nation’s roads. Readers suggest better education and enforcement. Image supplied by Dubai Police.
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Your recent article, UAE 'pandemic' of speed and reckless driving devastates young lives in car crashes (December 18), was both educational and eye opening.

It’s heartbreaking to see so many lives endangered and even lost through reckless driving.

I strongly believe, and hope many would agree, that tougher laws must be put in place to ensure the safety of those who use the roads and to secure the future of many people living in the UAE.

I believe as a country we could learn from our partner countries such as the United Kingdom, where driving standards are designed to ensure good and safe road activity for everyone.

All drivers there must go through rigorous theoretical and practical driving tests (available in many different languages) because this is essential both for safe driving and for sustainable living.

Driving manners and courtesy are both highlighted in these tests – something from which many drivers in the UAE could benefit.

These tests are educational and thorough but also make sense logically.

I believe as the UAE continues to grow, it will serve the needs of those living here by providing a systematic approach to educating everyone using the roads.

Ali R H, UAE

This is a very sad story, with so many lives ruined.

But one point people seem to be missing here is that the main reason there should be much more stringent speed controls on all roads is because reckless driving also endangers good drivers and those who follow the law by driving safely, not to mention the pedestrians and bicyclists.

Brigitte Von Bulow, Abu Dhabi

Expat children should also learn Arabic

With regard to your article, Challenges of learning Arabic in the UAE, even for Emiratis (December 16), I think that if western expatriates raise their children here, their offspring should learn Arabic as a second language.

Friends of mine who have emigrated to countries where English is not the first language ensure their children are fluent in both, but that philosophy doesn’t seem to have been embraced here.

As your article clearly states, it is really important that native speakers have a command of their mother tongue because cultural values, beliefs, behavioural norms etc are all tied up within one’s own mother tongue and it is essential this is not lost in order to retain one’s identity.

Perhaps the issue of lack of teaching resources could be due to the fact it can be more difficult for authors to have their work published here than in other places.

Name withheld by request

India diplomat: victim or villain?

Your story, 'Strip search' of Indian diplomat in New York fuels row (December 19), exposed double standards. It is a ludicrous defence that the standard operating procedure was followed by the marshals.

It is appalling that an Indian diplomat was arrested and humiliated for an alleged offence which, on the face of it, is a part of a larger design to protect the maid and her family and malign the status of the Indian diplomatic mission.

The backlash in India and the stern steps initiated by the Government amply demonstrate the mood of the peoples against a self righteous and conceited nation.

As for human rights, the US should practice before preaching.

C S Pathak, India

This woman is accused of falsifying documents and lying about the wages paid to her maid. Is it in any way possible for a maid in the US to make $4,500 (Dh16,528 ) a month?

As a diplomat, she represents her country in the USA and she is accused of a serious crime. If she is found guilty, India should be apologising for sending her to the US.

Lynn Marie Taylor, Abu Dhabi

Breastfeeding cannot be regulated

In an ideal world, all babies would be breast fed for the nutritional value, but is it right to enforce this on a women or to punish her? (Mothers need clear advice, not laws, December 19)

Especially when this “special bond” should not be rushed or crammed into a 30 minute break. As any lactation consultant would tell you, a baby will feed for as little or as long as he or she needs. How unhealthy is it to break this bond and upset the child because the mother has to return to work?

The first priority should be parenting education, with support in the community. There is no ongoing support in the UAE to help mothers about how to form bonds with their little ones, play, use of the natural environment, telling stories and singing.

Jayde Ellis, Dubai

We were getting weird looks at the doctor’s office when I told them that I nurse my 14-month-old.

We were told it’s not important and we should switch to cow’s milk.

Name withheld by request