Muscat – Despite the decrease in road accidents in the past five years, the number of related deaths is still cause for concern. Road accidents dropped by 45 per cent to claim 238 lives in 2020 compared to 432 in 2016.

The National Centre for Statistics and Information’s traffic data has revealed that the total number of road accidents decreased from 4,721 in 2016 to 1,341 in 2020. The data also shows that among the total number of individuals injured in road accidents in 2020, 22 per cent were women. The number of men killed in road accidents in 2020 was 205, compared to 368 in 2016. Fatality among women in road accidents in 2020 was 33, compared to 64 in 2016.

While taking cognisance of the declining numbers, experts pointed to some safety measures that must be taken into account to prevent accidents.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Rashid al Balushi, director general of Motorcycle Learning Centre, said, “Some accidents are a result of using a mobile phone while driving, or not changing tyres on time and speeding.”

He attributed the reason for women being involved in accidents to the fact that many live outside the capital and drive long distances without a break, which causes physical exhaustion leading to accidents.

Ali al Barwani, former CEO of Oman Road Safety Association, noted that women form half of society and an increasing number of them are driving these days. “However, they should foc-us on increasing their driving ski-lls and identify crowded places in the city to avoid accidents.”

Barwani cautioned that female drivers should have a child safety seat installed when driving with a child. “She must also ensure the safety of her car with regular check-up of brakes and tyres. Women who drive old cars should make sure of periodic maintenance,” he said.

Nasser Selim, a driving instructor, said, “Some instructors are content with teaching only the basic rules of driving. But there are technical aspects of cars that all drivers must know, including the validity of tyres and when these need change.”