Every year the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) announces the number of road traffic accidents in Oman. In 2023, the number of road accidents surged to 2,040 , with a death toll reaching 532 and 2,129 injured.
It must be emphasised that Oman has one of the best police personnel in the region.
ROP has highly trained officers and personnel, who receive their specialised training through a dedicated police academy in Nizwa. ROP officers and personnel are trained across the different sectors making them, without any doubt, fit, qualified and proficient for the specific tasks with which they are assigned.
ROP also adopts rules and regulations governing procedure and controlling conduct pertaining to the services rendered by them, which are consistent with the highest global standards. The design of the roads or any other open ways for vehicles is subject to a detailed precise presentation of all traffic rules benchmarked against international best practices.
ROP further takes all necessary actions by traversing and monitoring roads for the maintenance of security and safety of users, given the fact Oman has a good network of highways, roads and streets, with a total length of paved roads of 424,000 square kilometres by the end of 2023.
However, despite all the measures in place, there are still some factors that contribute to the increase in road traffic accidents.
Factors contributing to the rise of road traffic accidents can also be attributed to straying animals and insufficient street lights. With all of the progress the daily life has witnessed over the last 50 years or so in Oman, there are still domestic animals that are let loose on the roads. Drivers need to be very careful when they see road safety signs warning animal movement.
While the whole of Oman’s cities and villages are connected with modern highways or roads, there are still roads which are not lit. Low visibility due to dust or fog coupled with poor lighting pose fatal risks to motorists. With proper road lighting, drivers can see road signs, pedestrians along or on the roads and other vehicles in a clear manner. Improved visibility helps drivers to react spontaneously as hazards become more conspicuous.
Other factors which the police need to take care of is the deployment of more safety measures on the roads. A lot of accidents have taken place as a result of speeding
Roads in Oman are monitored by traditional speed cameras. More advanced traffic enforcement devices including smart speed cameras, artificial intelligence (AI), sensors and automated technology are needed to manage traffic and ensure safety.
Smart traffic cameras can measure vehicle speed in real-time by their ability to process radar, lidar, or AI-based image, while tracking multiple lanes. They are very useful for enhanced road safety, higher accuracy data collection, enhancing the way the police monitor the roads with much less human supervision.
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