Skip to main content

Transport safety in Qatar – ‘taking a long-term view’ says report

A report by the International Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC) says that, while the country is well on its way to implementing programmes aimed at improving road safety, it appears to have taken a long-term view of its needs and is planning for a system which can expand to meet future demand. According to Transport Safety in Qatar: Outlook and Possibilities, the Qatari Government has implemented a series of initiatives and intelligent transport systems (ITS) around Qatar, in line with its Qatar Nat
May 23, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A report by the International Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC) says that, while the country is well on its way to implementing programmes aimed at improving road safety, it appears to have taken a long-term view of its needs and is planning for a system which can expand to meet future demand.

According to Transport Safety in Qatar: Outlook and Possibilities, the Qatari Government has implemented a series of initiatives and intelligent transport systems (ITS) around Qatar, in line with its Qatar National Vision 2020, to improve road safety and surface transport effectiveness. These include: infrastructure projects aimed at reducing congestion and helping to cope with Qatar’s increasing number of vehicles; a real time traffic data collection and integration system; a traffic signal control room; and traffic signal pre-emption for emergency vehicles.

The report looks at four aspects of road safety policies: urban and transport planning, vehicles, traffic management, roads and infrastructure.

It discusses the new technologies available to improve road safety, such as anti-lock braking systems, driver alertness detection systems and vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, along with the introduction of laws to mandate seat belt use for front seat passengers and drivers. The report claims that the country’s traffic department does not have the resources to control traffic congestion or police law-breaking motorists, although the country is moving to increase the number of officers by the end of 2016.

Qatar is investing substantially to create a world-class, integrated, surface transport system, while new and enhanced highways and roads, complemented by the Doha Metro and Lusail light rail projects, should reduce reliance on private cars, and help increase safety.

Related Content

  • January 16, 2024
    "AI can help fast-track Net Zero and Vision Zero," says VivaCity
    Artificial intelligence isn't just about self-driving cars - and ‘smart’ doesn't always have to be shiny, new and innovative. Mark Nicholson, CEO at VivaCity, offers a few predictions for 2024...
  • August 8, 2017
    Considering accessibility costs little and pays dividends for all travellers
    Catering for those with disabilities can be cost-effective and improve services for all travellers, as David Crawford discovers. Clearer understanding of the economic value of accessible transport is essential if we are to speed up the current slow deployment levels, according to the Paris-based International Transport Forum (ITF), which staged a 2016 round table on the ‘Benefits and Costs of Inclusion in Transport’. It wants to see greater availability of data on levels of actual and unmet demand for acces
  • September 22, 2014
    ASECAP examines tolling during downturns
    ASECAP debated the impact of the financial crises on Europe’s tolling companies and considered the future in diverse economies. Colin Sowman picks some of the highlights. This year ASECAP (Association Europeenne des Concessionnaires d’Autoroutes et d’Ouvrages a’ Peage, with members in 21 countries managing 46,000km of roadway) held its annual Study & Information Days in Athens, Greece – one of the country hardest hit by recent economic problems. While the theme of the conference, Ensuring Sustainability in
  • July 17, 2012
    ITS technology reduces congestion, improves workzone safety
    As the road-building season gets under way in the US, the Federal Highway Administration has just published a White Paper which deals with the use of ITS technology in work zones. On 30 April 2009, the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a White Paper which was prepared by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to inform public agencies about the use of ITS to manage construction work zones. This is a particularly relevant topic given the large number of construction projects that are ex