Dubai roads ‘turn red’ to indicate speed limits

Dubai, June 10 (IANS) Dubais Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has started colouring parts of the city roads in an eye-catching asphalt red to alert people to changes in speed limits.

The experiment was carried out on Oud Metha Street near Bu Kadrah Interchange along the extension of Dubai-Al Ain Street, where the maximum speed limit was reduced from 100 kph to 80 kph.

Maitha bin Adai, CEO of RTA's Traffic and Roads Agency, said: "The process involved colouring all lanes in an eye-catching style such that the step would help in inviting the attention of road users to the new speed limit.

"Asphalt colouring will also be used in phases at locations subject to speed changes on other vital roads in Dubai. Therefore, we expect motorists to get used to this for their own safety and avoid offences and accidents resulting from speeding," he said.

The proposal involves colouring vehicle lanes in red, drawing triangular markings on both sides of lane dividers, displaying the speed limit on each vehicle lane, and intensifying the cautionary signs on the specified roads, the Khaleej Times reported on Friday.

The idea will next be implemented on Sheikh Zayed Road near the fifth interchange where the speed limit was reduced from 120 kph to 100 kph.

It will also be applied to the Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road near Lehbab, where the speed limit was reduced from 120 kph to 100 kph, so that motorists can avoid speeding and radar tickets.

"The experiment will be evaluated to verify its impact on drivers' attitudes. It is expected that the procedure will significantly increase compliance with specified speeds and avoid potential accidents," said Bin Adai.

"The various development projects launched & implemented by RTA since inception have contributed effectively to decreasing the number of traffic accidents deaths by as much as 50 per cent," he said.

Traffic fatalities came down from 332 in 2006 to 166 in 2015, and mortality rate went down from 21.7 deaths per 100,000 people in 2006 to 3.5 per 100,000 people in 2016, according to the report.

These statistics placed Dubai among the top five cities in the world in traffic safety, Bin Adai said.

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