MoI eyes latest scientific approaches to resolve traffic problems

KUWAIT, Nov 23 (KUNA) -- Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs Major General Abdullah Mhanna said Sunday that the Ministry is keen on using the most sophisticated means and latest approaches to ease traffic movement and curb road accidents.
"Addressing traffic problems and upgrading quality of services in accordance with the latest scientific approaches are a top priority for the Ministry of Interior," Mhanna said in a speech at the opening of the workshop entitled: "Execution of National Strategy for Traffic and Security Sector".
He cited the steadily growing number of vehicles have complicated traffic situation in Kuwait.
"Though national roads network accommodates up to 950,000 vehicles, the number of the registered vehicles has exceeded 1.925 million," he said.
Maj. Gen. Mhanna underlined that Ministry of Interior's keenness on putting into effect the national strategy for traffic to guarantee the smoothness of traffic movement and reduce the number of accidents.
"The 333 people were killed in road accidents in the first nine months of 2014. Over 73,000 road accidents and about 5 million traffic citations were recorded in the same period," he said.
He also stated that the number of road accident deaths decreased in 2013 to 11.3 deaths per each 100,000 compared with 16.5 deaths in 2006.
He added that the workshop, which coincides with the 2014 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR), is organized for training traffic and transport cadres on the implementation of the national strategy for traffic to curb road accidents.
He pointed out that the three-day event is organized under the auspices of Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and in cooperation with the Ministry of Planning and Development and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
For his part, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme Mubashar Riaz Sheikh said that traffic is one of most pressing problems which Kuwait is facing and requires effective solutions.
He underscored the importance of the workshop in training traffic, transport and road bodies cadres on the latest approaches in resolving this problem.
The workshop focuses on requirements of implementing the comprehensive traffic and transport strategy in Kuwait and the impact on the national development plan, as well the economic and social cost of the traffic problem. It also tackles road safety, traffic police operations and patrols, smart transport, drivers' conduct on the road and traffic awareness. (end) amn.sfm.abd.ibi