Tuesday 22 / April / 2025
Muscat: Motorists have been urged to abide by traffic rules and drive safe on the roads during Ramadan, especially in the hours prior to breaking fasts.
According to a spokesman at the Royal Oman Police (ROP), accidents that happen during the Holy Month of Ramadan are due to exhaustion and speeding. The spokesman said: “Please help us to help you during this Holy Month of Ramadan by abiding by traffic rules while driving on the roads. Motorists should also abide by traffic rules in this Holy Month and show patience with other drivers during hours prior to iftar (breaking of fast).”
The spokesman added: “Drivers have to avoid speeding during peak hours, adhere to traffic rules and not rush before the call for iftar. Exhaustion and speeding are major reasons behind the accidents that take place in Ramadan.
“When the body is exhausted, it affects the driver’s ability and can lead to road accidents.”
The spokesman explained that drivers tend to speed before the Maghrib prayers to get home for iftar with their families and this can cause fatal road accidents.
“ROP has urged drivers to stop and rest if they feel tired or sleepy as it can also cause numerous road accidents. Please stop driving when you feel tired,” he added.
Brigadier Mohammed Al Rawas, Director General of the Traffic Department at the ROP, earlier this year said that the number of accidents has reduced by 67 per cent, injuries by 33 per cent, and deaths by 52 per cent in recent years.
Al Rawas said: “Traffic accidents resulting from speed accounted for more than 70 per cent of the total accidents.
Awareness and motorists abiding by speed limits led to the reduction in the number of accidents. Speed radars also contributed to the slash in the number of accidents.”
Ali Al Barwani, road safety expert, said: “Staying up late at night can lead to fatigue and lack of concentration for the driver and then it can cause fatal road accidents. Drivers have to be cautious while driving, especially in the peak hours and prior to Iftar.”
“Many Omanis who work in Muscat prefer to have iftar with their families, which means that they have to drive long distances.
They should take some rest before getting behind the wheel as fatigue is one of the main reasons behind fatal road accidents,” he added.
Al Barwani also advised motorists to not lose their patience while driving and conduct regular maintenance of their vehicles.
Ramadaniyat, a traffic guidance campaign, is carried out by the ROP in Ramadan every year and is now in its fifth edition, spreading awareness and traffic culture via social media networks.
“Ramadan is an opportunity for change and so make driving part of this. Ramadan is a great school purifying both heart and soul.”
