YEMEN: Yemen launches road safety campaign to combat widespread reckless driving

Record ID: 269297

  • Title: YEMEN: Yemen launches road safety campaign to combat widespread reckless driving
  • Date: 23rd July 2007
  • Summary: NURSE ( WEARING A BURQA) TENDING TO A PATIENT ON A STRETCHER
  • Embargoed: 7th August 2007 13:00
  • Keywords: Yemdunc
  • Location: Yemen
  • Country: Yemen
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA3NH7DRNHXJ6U9KFUNQFBLD03J
  • Story Text: Police and authorities struggle to cope with Yemen's astronomical road accident rates. Local news reports cite over 2,800 road-related deaths in 2006 and thousands of injuries.
    Drivers are running formidable risks of accidents as they attempt to navigate the perilous roads of Yemen. Despite forceful governmental awareness campaigns, a worrying number of victims are claimed, and astronomical sums are lost to damage and destruction. As Ahmed Mohammed Qahoush contemplates the ruins of his battered vehicle, he describes the ubiquity of calamity.
    "There are at least six to seven traffic accidents every week," Qahoush said.
    The daily occurrence of brutal accidents has resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities, many more injuries and millions of dollars in reparations, traffic officials said.
    "In 2006, 13011 accidents were recorded resulting in the death of 2711 people and the injury of 17873. The monetary impact was at two billion and 806 million and 36 thousand (2.80637 billion) Yemeni rials (14 million USD) in damage," director general of the Yemen roads authority Abdullah Ali Shabeel announced at a recent news conference.
    Accident and Emergency departments in hospitals are having to cope with large numbers of patients involved in car crashes.
    "Last year in 2006, al-Thoura hospital dealt with up to 5000 car crash victims, that's in addition to the fatalities and the cases where basic treatment was provided," head of A&E at al-Thoura Hospital, Doctor Mohammed Issi, told Reuters.
    According to the Arab Road Safety Organisation, 20 percent of deaths caused by car accidents are children. Salem Hussein, who was spared that fate, described his harrowing experience during his convalescence at al-Thoura Hospital.
    "The driver was careless. He was careless. He swerved into the wrong lane and crashed into another car. Then our car flipped over. One of the passengers in our car was killed," the injured child said.
    Yemeni authorities have been organising and sponsoring awareness and educational campaigns such as the Road Passage and Safety Week 2007. Sums have also been allocated for the improvement of roads and road side assistance.
    Despite the disquieting figures of 2006, Yemeni interior minister Rashid al-Alimi seems positive.
    "The ministry of interior, in the past few years, has managed to achieve a breakthrough in terms of improving and modernising the traffic situation," al-Alimi said.
    "I truly hope that drivers will be cautious, take care of themselves, and return home safely to their families," traffic policeman Mohammed Saad added.
    Despite numerous dilapidated roads and large amounts of obsolete cars, the Yemeni General Administration of Traffic blames speeding and reckless driving for 80 percent of accidents.
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