By Zainab Al Nasseri — MUSCAT: Jan. 1: The Royal Oman Police (ROP), which celebrates its Annual Day on January 5, said the deaths caused by car accidents in the Sultanate dipped 48 per cent and injuries 14 per cent in 2016. The number of accidents in general too dropped 26 per cent.
According to the ROP, the crime rate has dropped significantly. Robberies and attempted theft cases have also decreased, reflecting its effectiveness in protecting the community.
“Despite the economic expansion, which resulted in an increase in population and the expat workforce, crime rate in the Sultanate has dropped,” it said. Most crimes committed in 2016 were robberies, thefts, minor assaults and fights, besides bounced cheques and fraud. ROP had launched a ‘criminal investigation contest’ to make the investigation departments in ROP directorates intensify efforts to reduce crime rates. The efforts have paid off.
During the traffic safety expo 2016, ROP launched devices that enables traffic policemen to issue tickets and print them electronically. These devices show all details about motorists and their violations.
It launched a simulator which reflects the traffic environment in the Sultanate and helps evaluate the drivers’ performance. The simulator is likely to be a part of the ‘protective driving programme’ conducted by Traffic Safety Institute to “save time and effort”, besides saving trainees’ lives.
The awareness campaign, ‘no phone while driving’, launched last year, will be continued this year too. It has proved to be one of the most successful means of raising public awareness about the risks of using mobile phone while driving.
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