Crashes on UAE roads drop but deaths increase in first half of Ramadan

Road incidents across the Emirates dropped by 19 per cent in the first half of Ramadan compared to the same period last year but the number of deaths increased.

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ABU DHABI // Road incidents across the Emirates dropped by 19 per cent in the first half of Ramadan compared to the same period last year but the number of deaths increased.

In the first two weeks of this Ramadan there were 119 incidents, while there were 147 last year, according to statistics released yesterday by the Traffic Coordination Department (TCD) at the Ministry of Interior.

Brigadier Gaith Hussan Al Zaabi, head of the TCD, said that, despite the decline in traffic accidents nationwide, the deaths resulting from these incidents increased by seven - 28 deaths in the first half of Ramadan this year compared to 21 in 2012.

However, injuries, ranging from minor to moderate or severe, declined this Ramadan to 174 from 221 last year.

There were also 11 fewer vehicle collisions this year, down from 84 to 73; rollover incidents rose slightly to 24 from 19; and run-over incidents fell to 20 from 41.

newsdesk@thenational.ae