+ A
A -
Hisham Aljundi
Doha
USING mobile phones while driving is responsible for more than half of the road fatalities in Qatar, the General Directorate of Traffic revealed on Sunday.
According to the directorate, it was the second leading cause of accidental deaths after over speeding.
The directorate said that statistics indicated that engaging in mobile phones caused 51.6 percent of deaths, 52.2 percent of serious injuries and 44.1 percent of minor injuries of the total traffic accidents recorded recently.
Speaking at the launch of the theme of the ongoing 'Accident-free summer' campaign for the current week, which is using mobile phones while driving, Major Mohammed bin Jassim al Thani, head of traffic at South Security Department explained the risks of using mobile phones while driving, noting that it is the second most common violation after speeding that causes traffic accidents.
He said that using mobile phone distracts a driver reflecting on his performance on the street."When people are distracted while driving, they commit a number of mistakes, such as changing track suddenly, jumping traffic signals, over speeding as well as responding late to a situation and slowing down to less than the normal speed, which leads to accidents," Major Mohammed added.
Speaking on the campaign, he remarked,"The slogan is in accordance with the provisions of the traffic law which obligates the driver of a motor vehicle to not to use the mobile phone or any other device in any way that requires the use of hands. Violators will be fined QR500 for the use of phones while driving or watching any material from a television or other devices. The penalties are aimed at ending this common traffic violation and preserving lives and property."
It is noteworthy that the traffic department recorded 4,078 violations in the first half of this year regarding use of mobile phones while driving as against 10,654 violations in 2016, and 27,735 violations in 2015, registering a significant decline.
Moreover, the directorate has called on motorists to focus on the road while driving, and not to be preoccupied with telephone or any other device to avoid accidents.
