Doha, Qatar: The National Road Safety Committee, in cooperation with the General Directorate of Traffic, organized an event on Sunday to mark the World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims under the theme “Remember – Support – Act” , in the presence of a number of officers, representatives of relevant authorities and a number of students from colleges and military schools in the State of Qatar.

On this occasion, Director General of Traffic, Major General Abdul Aziz bin Jassim Al Thani, said that the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, designated by the United Nations on the third Sunday of November each year, falls this year under the slogan (Remember – Support – Act). He stressed that the purpose of this day is linked to the memory of the victims who lost their lives, as well as to supporting those seriously injured as a result of road accidents and working to provide them with support as well as their families.

He added that the General Directorate of Traffic aims, through this anniversary, to highlight the importance of road safety and to raise awareness among members of the community about the dangers of road accidents, which today are considered to be the one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. It is also an opportunity to appreciate the efforts made by the police and the rescue and emergency teams.

He noted that the General Directorate of Traffic, in collaboration with the road traffic authorities in the country, has taken several measures to reduce road accidents, based on the fourth strategic objective of the Ministry of Interior , which aims to (raise the level of road safety on the roads).

The Director General of Traffic said traffic data and indicators in the country over the past few years have shown a significant decrease in deaths and serious injuries resulting from road accidents, the rate of road accident deaths per 100,000 people reaching (5.3) deaths in 2023, which is lower than the global rate of (15) deaths per 100,000 people.

For his part, Member and Secretary of the National Road Safety Committee, Brigadier General Dr. Mohammed Radi Al Hajri, said that the State of Qatar pays great attention to the issue of road safety, feeling its importance in the preservation of the country’s human and economic resources.

Al Hajri indicated that the country, based on its legal and humanitarian responsibility, established a National Road Safety Committee headed by HE the Minister of Interior and composed of all parties concerned with road safety, as The leading national institution responsible for attracting and improving the country’s road policy in all its legislative, educational, cultural, health, technical and engineering areas in order to achieve the highest standards of road safety so as to preserve the human and economic resources of the country.

He added that thanks to the good traffic policies adopted by the committee and due to the great interest given by the Minister of Interior and Chairman of the National Road Safety Committee, HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, to the question of road safety. , in addition to the cooperation of all parties and their commitment to implement the policies developed by the committee in this area, the State of Qatar has been able to achieve significant progress in reducing the rate of deaths and injuries resulting from road accidents. the road.

He explained that despite the advanced results achieved by the State of Qatar in reducing the rate of deaths and injuries resulting from road accidents, the ambition remains high to achieve further progress in the field of road safety.

In turn, Director of the Department of Non-communicable Disease Prevention Programs at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, highlighted that road accidents remain a major challenge in the areas of health public and development in the world, with approximately 1.3 million road accidents. Millions of people die and up to 50 million people are injured each year due to these accidents, which can be serious and lead to long-term physical and psychological disabilities, which greatly affect families and communities.

He stressed that the World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims is an appropriate occasion to highlight the need to raise awareness of road safety among drivers and all road users and to call for the strengthening of measures that would prevent and reduce injuries resulting from road accidents. provide safe roads and vehicles and encourage safe driving.

He also highlighted the achievements made by the State of Qatar in improving road safety, including the remarkable improvement of the country’s infrastructure, in line with international road safety standards, and the implementation of several Traffic laws that cover various aspects of road safety. , including speed limits, the use of seat belts and helmets, child restraints and not using mobile phones while driving, welcoming the rapid response of emergency services and the sector of health to transport the injured and provide rapid and necessary medical care.

For his part, Head of Vascular and Trauma Surgery Department at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Sheikh Dr. Hassan bin Ali AI-Thani, discussed the risks of road accidents and their negative effects on individuals and companies, revealing a set of global figures and statistics that indicate the severity of road accidents and the resulting deaths and injuries that have serious health and economic consequences.

He highlighted the efforts of the health sector in the State of Qatar to deal with road accidents, attempts to reduce injuries and the efforts of medical teams to treat cases. He stressed the importance of the joint responsibility of all parties concerned and families in the fight against road accidents, as well as the role of awareness-raising efforts of all segments of society, while respecting the code of road and road safety, as studies have proven that respecting the implementation of these laws and following safety instructions plays an important role in reducing injuries.

In special remarks to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), Deputy Director of the Media and Traffic Awareness Department at the General Directorate of Traffic, Lieutenant Colonel Jaber Mohamed Odaiba, said that the General Directorate of Traffic works according to a strategy that covers all aspects of accidents and their causes through traffic awareness, road safety review and targeting drivers to raise awareness, as part of a plan put implemented throughout the year.

The Deputy Director of the Media and Traffic Awareness Department said that this topic was being addressed in partnership with all parties represented by the Public Works Authority, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Public Health and the representatives media institutions, with the aim of addressing all contributes to reducing road accident rates.

In a similar statement to QNA, Sidra Medicine Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consultant Dr. Khalid Al Yafei said that some children are exposed to road accidents while inside the vehicle, and that a percentage of them are exposed to accidents while on the road using scooters. or bicycles.

He added that most of the ages received due to road accidents range from one week to 14 years, indicating that all cases of children received in this regard are fully examined to determine the severity of the injury in order to provide appropriate treatment quickly and without delay to avoid any complications, according to the protocol followed.

During a presentation at the event, Al Yafei spoke about road accidents among children, emphasizing that it is a serious global problem and is considered the leading cause of death among children and young people, since around 220,000 children and young people die each year due to road accidents. accidents, while more than 600 deaths per day can be avoided.

He reviewed a number of statistics related to road accidents, the number of deaths and the severity of injuries, highlighting the importance of working to raise awareness in society and focusing on the use of measures road safety and security, such as wearing seat belts. , helmets and other means of protection in accordance with the law.

For his part, Director of the Land Transport Planning Department at the Ministry of Transport, Saleh Saeed Al Marri, indicated that the ministry was keen on joint work and coordination with all relevant authorities in the country to improve the road safety and reduce road accidents. It also works to develop effective plans, programs and strategies to improve the quality and management of transport demand and strives to achieve balance and integration between private and public transport services .

He highlighted that the ministry has prepared a number of major projects aimed at improving the transport system and raising road safety levels in the country, reviewing future plans that the Ministry of Transport is working on, including the road safety audit on the existing road. network, updating the global plan for cycling, in addition to studying and preparing smart mobility strategies within cities.

On the sidelines of the event, a complementary exhibition was inaugurated, showcasing the contributions of various entities in promoting safety standards and traffic awareness.

The program included a documentary on improving road safety in the State of Qatar, highlighting the efforts made and measures taken which led to a decrease in the rate of deaths in road accidents and the strengthening of cooperation constructive relationship between the National Road Safety Committee and other entities in the country. to achieve the desired objectives.