A total of 511 people were killed in road accidents in 2019 in the sultanate, a decrease of 20 per cent over 2018, according to official statistics released recently. Of the 511 lives lost, 269 were due to overspeeding. 

Figures released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) show 640 people were killed in road accidents in 2017 and 637 in 2018.

In 2019, a total of 2,120 road accidents occurred in the country, leaving 511 people dead.

The most road accident deaths were reported in Muscat (578), followed by Dakhliyah (311), South Batinah (281), Dhofar (241), North Batinah (228), North Sharqiyah (130), South Sharqiyah (115), Dhahirah (91) Al Wusta (82) Buraimi (44) and Musandam (10). 

Of the 2,120 road accidents, Omanis were involved in 1,819 cases while expats were in 623 accidents.

In 269 cases, speed was the main factor for the road accidents and consequently death in 2019, a figure which dropped from 384 in 2018 and 347 in 2017.

Among the reasons for death related to traffic accidents, speed was followed by negligence (98), bad road behaviour (50), overtaking (32), defects in vehicle (28), driver’s fatigue (12), tailgating (12), flaws in road (2), and one of each related to weather conditions and sudden stopping.

Oman had a total of 1,537,551 motor vehicles registered in the month of June 2020. Of the total, 1,202,350 were private vehicles, 242,182 commercial, 30,862 taxis, 26,758 rental cars and 12,985 government cars.

The sultanate imported cars worth RO785mn in 2019, of which passenger cars accounted for RO606mn, RO107mn for motor vehicles for transport and goods, RO32mn for public transport type passenger motor vehicles, RO31mn for tractors and semi trailers and RO9mn for special purpose motor lorries and vans. 

Royal Oman Police has launched several safe driving awareness campaigns, including ‘Driving without mobile phone’ to reduce road accidents in the country. 

The Royal Oman Police urges drivers to adhere to prescribed measures to avoid road accidents.