During the holy month of Ramadan, it is sad to witness hundreds of accidents and dozens of fatalities every year. Ramadan is a very special time and it is all about being with the ones close to you, which creates a lot of traffic! This festive time also brings unique challenges for all traffic participants.
Tokio Marine, one of the largest UAE auto insurers teamed up with RoadSafetyUAE to analyze their 2023 Ramadan motor insurance claims data (22 March to 20 April 2023) to come up with meaningful insights aimed at raising awareness and protecting UAE road users.
Takako Matsuo, Senior Manager Direct Business and Marketing of Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd states: “We collect a significant amount of claims data which we thoroughly analyze and we want to share the key findings for the good of the people and society in the UAE. In this instance, we analyzed 1,320 UAE claims data. The Ramadan period poses a specific challenge to UAE road users and we want to contribute from our side to keep everyone safe on the road.”
Thomas Edelmann, Founder & Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE states: “Tokio Marine is in a great position to share real-life data benefitting UAE road users. It was amazing to team up with the Team at Tokio Marine to jointly analyze their claims data. It takes great commitment from a company to go the extra mile to use their resources to the broader benefit and to raise the awareness for Ramadan specific road safety. UAE motorists need to be especially careful with regards to the behavior of other drivers in Ramadan, as in more than 50% of accidents third party is at fault and in 36% it is shared fault. Between 1 to 4pm most accidents are taking place (35%), followed by the late morning rush hour from 9-12pm (21%). Wednesdays are the most dangerous week days, while the weekends are the safest. Motorists in the age bracket of 30-39 years are most vulnerable, followed by the segment of 40–49 year olds. Accident claims by nationality seem to follow the demographic distribution.”
The detailed findings of the claims data analysis are:
The Ramadan specific lifestyle has physical effects on our body – especially if Ramadan coincides with the hot weather. Fasting can result in dehydration and low blood sugar, which in turn can affect our attentiveness, concentration, vision and reaction. In addition to fasting, the often unusual and irregular meal timings and sleep patterns can cause fatigue, exhaustion, impatience and distraction, which is reflected in early morning accident peaks.
The rush on the roads is a mix of psychological urges and physical needs and motorists might use this as an excuse to misbehave on the roads.
Hence, ALL traffic participants (motorists, pedestrians, motorcycle riders, bicyclists, etc.) must be extra careful in this time!
How to do it right:
- Be aware of your own potential limitations!
- Watch out for other traffic participants potentially under the same effects.
- Expect the unexpected – we all MUST drive defensively!
- Plan for possible delays and add a time buffer!
- Always wear your seat belt – Ramadan is a good time to finally start this habit!
- Watch out in the late morning rush-hours!
- Watch out in the noon and afternoon!
- Try to anticipate sudden movements of other road users.
- Keep a sufficient distance and do not tailgate.
- Plan your schedules properly and leave early to avoid the need of rushing and speeding.
- You can run a little bit late – people will understand.
- Stay off the roads at sundown, if you can avoid it.
- Use your lights during dusk, before Iftar
- Avoid fatigue and get enough sleep.
- Pull over immediately when you becoming drowsy.
- Use public transport or taxis.
How to do it right – as non-fasting driver, pedestrian, motorcyclist, passenger, etc.
- Be considerate and generous to other traffic participants who might fast!
- ALL traffic participants – fasting and non-fasting – must be extra careful during Ramadan!
- Especially, ‘weaker’ traffic participants (pedestrian, cyclist, eScooter rider or motorcyclist) must watch out for potentially irrational behavior of other traffic participants!
- Apply the same defensive driving approach like fasting traffic participants.
- Be very careful in the peak accident morning rush hours and around noon and early afternoon!
- Try to stay off the roads if possible!
