SHARJAH // Road-safety experts and residents have welcomed the reduction in speed limits on two roads in the emirate and they hope the move will help to save lives.
In recent weeks, the speed limit was lowered from 120kph to 100kph for a stretch of Mleiha Road, particularly the section between Al Badea Bridge and the Sheikh Khalifa Road exit, and Al Quta-Nazwa Road after more than 3,000 speeding offences were recorded in one weekend last month.
Thirty deaths occurred on Mleiha Road in 2015, making the road that connects Sharjah city with the central and eastern region the emirate’s deadliest that year. Last month, 15 motorists were caught driving at more than 150kph on the road.
Alaulddin Dawood, deputy chief executive of the National Traffic Safety Institute, said lowering the speed limit would help to curb fatalities.
“Motorists on long roads tend to speed and lose focus while driving. Using their mobile phone, or talking, are some of the main reasons for these tragic accidents,” said Mr Dawood.
“It’s their responsibility to drive carefully and safely to ensure they arrive at their destinations safe and sound. They should be vigilant and wary on the road, abide by traffic laws and speed limits.”
Last year, 130 people died on Sharjah’s roads, down from 157 deaths in 2015, statistics from Sharjah Police showed.
Emirati Yaqoub Al Hamadi, a resident of Al Qarayen, which is near Mleiha Road, welcomed the reduction of the speed limit.
“Some parts of this road are notorious for accidents and young men driving recklessly. This will help in catching more offenders and ensure the safety of other motorists,” said the social worker, 44. He called for more traffic patrols to discourage reckless driving.
“This road gets real busy and dangerous over the weekend, as more families and residents go camping in the desert in Al Bayader.”
Sharjah Police said that Emirates Road (E611) was the most dangerous road last year with nine deaths.
Abdullah Said, a resident of Al Madam, urged police to lower the speed limit on the entire Mleiha Road.
“A lot of families lost loved ones on that road. It is used by residents in the eastern and central region to reach Dubai and Sharjah,” he said.
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