The annual GCC Traffic Week will kick off on Sunday under the theme ‘Cross Safely’, aiming to promote road safety awareness and highlight its role in protecting lives and property.
Director-General of traffic Major-General Shaikh Abdulrahman bin Abdulwahab Al Khalifa said this year’s event comes amid the emergency circumstances faced by the six Gulf states, which require upholding the value of public and traffic safety for all road users.
The GCC Traffic Week coincides this year with World Traffic Day, which is observed globally on May 4.
Major-General Shaikh Abdulrahman praised the commitment shown by citizens and residents in adhering to traffic laws and regulations, stressing that such compliance contributes significantly to overall road safety.
The official also stressed the key role of parents in instilling traffic culture in children, helping to raise a responsible, aware generation that abides by road safety rules.
As part of community partnerships, he said authorities continue to implement awareness and training programmes targeting various segments of society, with a particular focus on pedestrian behaviour, the importance of using designated crossings and complying with traffic signals.
These efforts aim to reduce injuries and enhance overall traffic safety.
The GDN reported last month that traffic accidents claimed 76 lives in Bahrain last year, with men accounting for more than three-quarters of the fatalities.
According to the Information and eGovernment Authority’s Bahrain Open Data Portal (data.gov.bh), the kingdom registered 968 accidents across the four governorates – 66 of which were fatal.
A total of 318,296 violations were recorded last year – 1,267 for driving without a licence and 347 for driving under influence while 72,468 tickets were handed for overspeeding, and 4,524 for parking violations. The remaining were described as ‘other violations’.
The Capital Governorate recorded the highest number of traffic accidents, with 343 incidents reported.
More than half of these cases (178) resulted in serious injuries, while 134 crashes (39pc) caused slight injuries, and 31 accidents (9pc) were fatal.
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