Pay extra caution on the road during Ramadhan: ROP

Accidents during the first few days of the holy month of Ramadhan is always high and the Royal Oman Police (ROP) have urged all behind the wheels to apply extra caution and enjoy a safer month.

It has been found that a large number of accidents reported during the holy month are said to be due to lack of attention in driving due to heat coupled with fatigue, and sleep deprivation which can result in loss of attention, resulting in accidents, often fatal.

"Pay extra caution on the road and always follow defensive driving hoping that the other person on the road might err and cause an accident thus one can safeguard him/ her and others as well. Also, one shouldn't continue to drive if he or she is fatigued while driving and instead, he should pull the car aside and take sufficient rest before proceeding the journey," an ROP official told the Observer.

Usually, the holy month is decorated with long night hours of prayers and thus believers might be lacking in sleep which can cause lack of attention on the road resulting in accidents.

“The change in the patterns of sleeping and duty timings during the holy month tends to impact the attention of motorists who are fasting,” he said. Hence, it has been urged that one should ensure, before driving during the day, that he or she is fit to drive and that he is not driving under fatigue or lack of sleep.

"If you feel sleepy or find yourself lost while diving at night, pull your car to the shoulder and rest for a while before you continue your journey”, the official said.

According to statistics, the casualty rate in Ramadhan was found to be 1.5 per cent and that in non-Ramadhan months was 1.2 per cent which indicates that the average number of traffic accidents was slightly higher in Ramadhan than in non-Ramadhan months.

Reports suggest that yet another reason contributing to the traffic accidents during this month is when motorists fail to leave enough safe distance between vehicles.

"It is better to follow different timings of work and reduce the number of vehicles so that one can drive in less traffic. Also, in the hurry, motorists should avoid tailgating with the vehicle in the front in order to stay safe on the roads during the month," the official said.