Fatal Road Crashes in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi: Contributing Factors and Data-Driven Safety Recommendations

Road crashes have historically plagued the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Unfortunately, vehicle crash studies conducted in the GCC region have been scarce, making it difficult for decision-makers and researchers to assess the magnitude of the road safety problem regionally and to tackle it effectively. In the present study, the authors use a multivariate logistic regression model to investigate the contributing factors to fatal road crash severity in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (AD), part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Data was collected from all reported crashes occurring between 2012 and 2017. This study may be relevant not only to the UAE, but also to other GCC countries (i.e., Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain) due to their similarities in road design, vehicle fleet, and driving culture. Based on the study findings, the authors recommend AD to focus on: i) increased law enforcement during weekends, ii) implementation of safety measures capable of preventing running-red-light events, iii) safe pedestrian-oriented road design and transport policies, iv) improved safety and design standards on higher-speed-limit roads, v) effective educational campaigns and training programs in changing driving culture, especially among the male/Emirati population, and vi) change in traffic legislation. This latter measure would intend to address reckless driving behavior more effectively, so that reckless drivers are punished more proportionally to the damage they cause to society. Punishment measures could entail jail time and/or license suspension/cancelation.