Sign of the times

There is no excuse for street signs that confuse drivers and make our roads less safe

Clear street signs are a pillar of road safety. Delores Johnson / The National

The confusion over Abu Dhabi's street signs is a continuing saga. As this newspaper reported yesterday, many street numbers were removed from signs around the capital only to reappear recently, albeit in a modified format.

Street signs are meant to give information and instructions. They tell us where we are going or make us aware of situations and hazards that may lie ahead. In the case of Abu Dhabi, seemingly wrongly numbered streets are not the only culprit. All too often signs are situated in the wrong places and appear in a variety of different and confusing formats. That fact provides the perfect conditions for imperfect, erratic and dangerous driving.

By identifying and removing unnecessary and confusing signs, we can make our road network safer and help transform our city environment into one where people enjoy driving, walking and shopping in a pleasant environment.