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General Traffic Department: Don’t Call Till You Reach Your Destination

God Bless ’em. GCC Traffic week will start on March 14 and they have chosen for their theme: Don’t Call Until You Reach Your Destination.

From today’s Arab Times:

GTD completes all preparations for GCC Traffic Week

KUWAIT CITY, March 6: The General Traffic Department (GTD) has completed all the necessary preparations for the GCC Traffic Week, which will be hosted by Kuwait on March 14 under the slogan “Don’t call until you reach your destination”, GTD General Manager General Mohmoud Al-Dousari said in a press release recently. Al-Dousari pointed out “mobile phones are vital communications gadgets, considering the additional services such as the Internet and camera, but there are also disadvantages.”

He said using the mobile phone by hand while driving is one of the major causes of road accidents in the country. Drivers might get distracted while talking over the phone, endangering not only their lives but also that of other road users, he added.

Minister of Interior Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid Al-Sabah had earlier issued a decision banning the use of mobile phone by hand while driving to protect the lives of motorists, which was implemented since last year, said Al-Dousari. The GCC Traffic Week is aimed at conveying a clear message to the public on the dangers of using mobile phones by hand while driving, as well as encourage the use of other technologies like earphones and Bluetooth.

Al-Dousari revealed the department issued 18,773 citations for using mobile phone while driving. He added Kuwait is one of the most developed countries in the world in terms of traffic regulations, but some drivers are disregarding these rules. Al-Dousari warned the GTD will not tolerate those violating the traffic regulations and advised the public to drive safely and strictly comply with the traffic laws.

I admire General Al-Dousari. God bless him; he gallantly fights a battle for traffic safety in Kuwait. No kidding some drivers are disregarding these rules. Some policemen are disregarding these rules. Some policemen aren’t enforcing these rules. I wonder when the majority of those citations were issued? My bet would be that around 18,000 were issued more than six months ago. Until there is enforcement, this is a losing battle.

March 7, 2009 Posted by | Education, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Law and Order, Leadership, Living Conditions, Social Issues | , , , | 4 Comments