In particular, during the holy month of Ramadan, when some drivers' concentration rates decrease due to changes in the body as a result of fasting, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has urged motorists to avoid driving while feeling tired or sleepy.
The RTA has also warned that a nap of five seconds is equivalent to a blind driving distance of 180 meters or more, according to a study that was conducted by the German Safety Council and published in 2020.
An awareness campaign is being carried out by the authority in order to provide drivers with essential guidance messages during the holy month of Ramadan. This campaign is being carried out as part of the annual plan of the authority's traffic awareness programs and events, which is based on the Traffic Safety Strategy in the emirate of Dubai.
The authorities asked motorists to demonstrate the virtues and benefits of the holy month, which in turn should have an effect on the behavior of persons, including the observance of traffic laws and the respect for the rights of those who use the roads.
traffic Safety
As part of its awareness plans in the Traffic Safety Strategy during the year 2023, the authority implemented more than 270 awareness events that included all members of the community in order to contribute to the achievement of the goals and objectives of the Traffic Safety Strategy. The most important of these events was the realization that "every human life is unique and irreplaceable." These measures contributed to the achievement of the targets of the performance indicators of the Traffic Safety Strategy in the emirate of Dubai and a reduction in deaths by approximately 93% during the period 2007-2023. As a result, the emirate of Dubai became one of the best cities in the world in the field of Traffic Safety.
Awareness activities during the month of Ramadan
Through field events and social media channels of the authority and traffic awareness partners, the authority has adopted several awareness-raising events during the month of Ramadan. These events were coordinated and carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and traffic awareness partners in the emirate of Dubai. The purpose of these events was to deliver awareness and guidance messages to as many members of the community as possible.
Distribution of awareness brochures
Awareness Flyers were printed and distributed as part of Iftar meals distributed to target groups, most notably Dubai Taxi Drivers and public buses, as well as truck drivers and some road users, in collaboration with a large number of government institutions and private companies, such as the Department of Islamic Affairs and charity work in Dubai, Damac Properties, Tokyo marine insurance, bin yaber Driving Institute, and TriStar. Additionally, advertising banners were printed and placed at the entrances of the iftar tents that were spread out across Dubai. These banners contained awareness messages for pedestrians and drivers with the intention of raising awareness.
Awareness messages in the month of Ramadan rely on alerting drivers to the importance of concentration while driving at all times, especially in the month of Ramadan, where the difference in sleep and work schedules affects the state of concentration when fasting, which is evident at those times when the Employee returns from work, as concentration drops to its lowest levels, which affects the driver's ability to make the right decision at the right time, which calls for more caution and attention when driving a vehicle in the holy month.
The Road Traffic Authority (RTA) issued a call to drivers, urging them to organize their schedules in such a way that they are able to get sufficient sleep before driving their vehicles. In the event that they are feeling sleepy or tired, the vehicle should be parked in a secure location and allowed to rest for a short period of time before continuing to drive. The RTA also emphasized the importance of maintaining a sufficient safety distance and paying attention to the mistakes made by other drivers in order to be able to avoid them in a secure manner. Finally, the RTA wished everyone a safe and acceptable road.
The authority has confirmed that the ban on the passage of trucks during the month of Ramadan will be amended on the E11 axis, which extends from the Sharjah border to the intersection No. 7 of Sheikh Zayed Road (which passes through Etihad Street, Sheikh Rashid Street, and Sheikh Zayed Road). Additionally, the ban will be extended to the city center in Deira and Bur Dubai from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, rather than the current time of 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Additionally, the ban will be modified during the morning period on the streets to which the ban Times apply three times a day, so that the ban will begin at 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM, rather than the time of the rest of the year, which is between 6:30 and 8:30 AM. It was also confirmed that the prohibition of the passage of trucks throughout the year in the Shindagha Tunnel, Al Maktoum Bridge, floating bridge, Garhoud Bridge, Business Bay Bridge, Infinity Bridge, and airport tunnel will be from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm instead of the time on the rest of the year, which is from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Additionally, the prohibition time for Friday during Ramadan will be from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm, replacing the previous time of 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
