Safety audit to start on all Abu Dhabi roads

Abu Dhabi's Department of Transport (DoT) has announced that it is about to start an emirate-wide road safety audit in an effort to reduce accidents.

Every road in the UAE capital will be independently assessed for potential causes of accidents before the end of the year, transport chiefs said in a statement.  

The audit will be carried out by independent experts who will develop a set of road safety guidelines tailor-made for the emirate, the DoT added.

Two hundred checks will be carried out on each road during the audit process, covering elements like signage, visibility, road markings, crash barriers, provision for heavy vehicles, pedestrian access and parking.

The DoT said all checks would be carried out twice – once in daylight and once at night – to ensure potential issues are noted under different driving conditions.

On completion of the audit, risks will be evaluated in terms of the likelihood of contributing to an accident, and the ease and cost-effectiveness of required works.

These findings will then be assessed and acted upon by the DoT through a detailed implementation plan, the statement added.    

Khalid Mohamed Hashim, executive director of Land Transport Sector, Department of Transport, said: “Reducing the number of accidents and their severity on Abu Dhabi’s roads is of critical importance to the government and the people of Abu Dhabi.

"This DoT road safety audit is a valuable tool in the armoury of accident reduction. It is a quick and proactive approach of identifying potential road safety concerns across the entire emirate, providing ways in which these can be addressed to help save lives.”

Earlier this year, full audits were undertaken on two major routes – the E22, connecting Abu Dhabi and Al Ain; and the E30, the truck road running between these locations. The measures recommended in the audit are currently being implemented by the DoT’s specialized road contractors.

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