Muscat: The majority of Khareef tourists to Salalah in the Dhofar Governorate from within the Sultanate of Oman and neighbouring countries preferred to travel by road, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).
In 2023, nearly 75.1 percent, or 722,795 visitors, traveled to Dhofar in the south of Oman by road, compared to 610,491 in 2019 and 647,301 in 2022.
Comparatively, only 24.9 percent, or 239,401 visitors, travelled by air.
The number of GCC citizens and residents, including those from Oman, traveling by land was estimated using the relative increase in the quantities of fuel consumed at fuel filling stations in Dhofar Governorate during the Khareef season.
From a total of 666,307 Khareef tourists in 2023, 190,853 were from GCC countries, an increase of 19.8 percent from the year before.
As motorists usually travel at night on the 12-hour and 1,200-km stretch, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has urged road users to follow certain guidelines.
Windshield cleaning
The accumulation of dust from the inside and outside of the windshield blocks vision at night. Therefore, it is important to perform a comprehensive cleaning of the windshield.
Check the lights
Check headlights and taillights and make sure they are in good condition. Do not hesitate to turn on your car lights an hour before sunset, as the lights help other drivers notice that your car is approaching them.
Do not look at the lights of other vehicles
Try not to look directly at the headlights of moving cars coming towards you. Rather, do your best to look to the right and left, focusing on the white line on the street. This will prevent the headlights of cars from affecting your eyes.
Maintain a safe distance
Reducing speed and avoiding collisions is a good thing that saves lives of all passengers.
If car stops suddenly at night, be sure to park it on the side of the road, place a safety triangle, turn on hazard lights, and turn on all lights to increase chances of being seen. Remember, the safest place to wait is inside your car.
Take everything that distracts from driving at night, such as texting, flipping through the radio, or eating in your car.
Look at the pedestrians
Pedestrians do not walk at night wearing reflective clothing. Try to walk quietly to avoid running over a pedestrian, especially on poorly lit roads. If you are at an intersection, make sure to look at both sides before moving forward.
Driving in fog
Experts advise road users to be cautious and take all precautions when driving their vehicles in foggy weather with low visibility:
Ensure that the glass and windows are clean
And the mirrors in the car before starting the trip, and use the ventilation holes for removing steam from the glass and the glass cleaning wipers in order to achieve the maximum possible vision.
To quickly remove the steam condensing on the glass and windows, it is recommended to use the car’s air conditioner at a high temperature.
A common mistake is to use four-way warning lights during foggy conditions, as some drivers think that by doing so they will increase the chances of others seeing them.
The correct thing is to use four-way warning lights when completely stopping on the side of the road only because using them while the vehicle is moving does not allow the driver to use the right turn signals. Or leave or change the lane in which the car is driving.
Open windows:
In the event of very low visibility, the driver will be able to hear the sounds of oncoming cars, especially in areas where traffic is not heavy, such as rural areas and outside cities.
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