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Muscat: Road-related fatalities in Oman jumped almost 15 per cent to reach a high of 798 deaths in 2007, compared to 681 deaths during the previous year.
Statistics issued by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) underline a negative trend in traffic safety on the Sultanate's roads despite tough measures to deter speeding and negligence - two key factors responsible for the high death toll.
Speeding alone was blamed for 60 per cent of the 8,816 traffic accidents recorded all over Oman during 2007, claiming a total of 458 lives, while negligence was cited as a primary factor in 23 per cent of the total number of road mishaps, claiming another 78 lives.
A further 122 people died in accidents blamed on wrong overtaking, a traffic offence linked to some of the most horrific mishaps reported by ROP.
Priority
The high death toll is a further setback for Oman's government, which has made road safety a priority objective. Radar traps, stiff fines and jail terms, and intensified patrols are all part of a stricter regime of measures introduced by authorities in recent years to combat the rising trend in road mishaps.
To improve safety, local authorities have been making dual carriageways, constructing traffic signals at junctions in place of roundabouts, and streamlining traffic flow in areas prone to accidents and bottlenecks.
Oman, it may be recalled, was instrumental in persuading the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a resolution in 2004 advocating a universal approach to improving road safety in developing countries.
Reflecting the country's undiminished appetite for new cars despite rising inflation and higher living costs, the total number of cars on the Sultanate's roads swelled by around 15 per cent in 2007 to nearly 630,000 vehicles.
Automotive distributors have enjoyed a sharp increase in car sales in the aftermath of last year's devastating tropical cyclone, which damaged or swept away several thousand vehicles.
With demand remaining strong, many dealers have dispensed with the practice of wooing customers with lavish freebies and giveaways.
Also aiding car sales is a plethora of hassle-free car finance schemes offered by banks and financial institutions.
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