Most of the violations committed last month were about over-speeding, which is the most common cause of traffic accidents, said Colonel Jaber Mohamed Rashid Odaiba, Assistant Director of the Media and Traffic Awareness Department.
Odaiba said that those who are caught speeding above 180km per hour are referred to Public Prosecution for penalties prescribed by law that may lead to imprisonment. The vehicle of the violator also will be booked, adding that the authorities concerned will not tolerate any kind of reckless driving on Qatar roads.
“Such violators who are caught speeding above 180km per hour will be stopped directly by traffic patrols in a safer way that does not affect the traffic or public security,” Colonel Odaiba confirmed while speaking to a local channel.
The official called on road users to not panic if they are pressured by some reckless drivers and should give way only after ensuring that the road on the right side is clear. “The traffic patrols will be on the lookout for these reckless drivers,” he added.
He also pointed out that most of the reckless driving cases are reported on highways, especially on the weekend, leading to Al Khor, Sealine, Dukhan and Salwa.
About the winter camping season, he said that the new awareness campaign under the slogan “Camping Without Accidents” aims to achieve a number of goals, including the concept of social responsibility during traffic accidents, the importance of respecting traffic law, adhering to traffic safety rules during camping season, reducing deaths and injuries among young adults and to provide safe environment for campers.
The winter camping season drive began last month and will continue until the end of next March. The winter camping season, poses a challenge to traffic department’s expectation of keeping number of accidents lower.
The General Directorate of Traffic is conducting many awareness campaigns for safe driving to provide guidance on traffic safety specially in Sealine area. The tips include safety measures for avoiding accidents, safe motorcycle use, and child safety.