As the federal and local governments in the UAE work to address the problem of urban congestion, we are also witnessing a gradual increase in the number of deaths caused by road traffic accidents, especially motor vehicle accidents, which claim the lives of thousands of people every year. It is therefore all the more important that we find effective solutions not only to reduce these numbers but also to incorporate safe passenger transport services in Dubai within our communities to further enhance public concern and trust. Despite the relative safety of public transport, many people are still reluctant to travel by bus or train. It’s time we looked at the numbers and answered the question of whether public transport is safer than personal transport.
Is passenger transport really ‘safe’ for the public?
This is a much-discussed and researched topic for several reasons. The short answer is that passenger transport in Dubai has been proven to be one of the safest ways to travel in and around cities. Despite the benefits of public transport, many people still prefer the comfort of a car. In the past, we have also witnessed many times in the media the portrayal of public transport as a rather ‘unsafe’ mode of transport due to the risk of theft, crime-related incidents (e.g. assaults) and other fatalities associated with buses and railways. Notably, one high-profile train accident generates far more news coverage than an entire year’s worth of car accidents.
A leading analyst used FBI data to dispel the myth that “passenger transport is associated with high crime rates.” His findings show that passengers travelling on public transport are less likely to be victims of crime compared to car drivers. In addition, he added that travelling on commuter or intercity rail is more than 20 times safer than driving a car; travelling on the metro or light rail is about 30 times safer than driving a car; and travelling on a bus is about 60 times safer than travelling on private transport. His findings were published in the Journal of Public Transport.
According to Litman, owning a car and travelling by car is riskier than using passenger transport in Dubai. He points out that crime is relatively low in public transport facilities because of the extra protection provided by the presence of police, surveillance officers and staff in public transport facilities at almost all times. As for theft on buses, the type of theft that transit riders typically encounter is inexpensive property such as wallets or mobile phones, while vehicles can be stolen or vandalised.
How much safer is passenger transport than cars?
A study conducted by the American Public Transportation Association, “Hidden Solutions to Transportation Safety: The Hidden Solutions to Transportation Safety: The study concluded that public transportation is safer than cars: public transportation is essentially 10 times safer than other forms of personal transportation, such as cars. In addition, the fatality rate for passengers travelling on commuter and intercity rail is 18 times lower overall than for car passengers. With regard to the risk of car accidents, the authors of the report further state that a person can significantly reduce his or her chances of being involved in a car accident by more than 90 per cent simply by exchanging the car for public transport during the daily commute.
Can public transport help reduce traffic fatalities?
Further research conducted by the Public Transportation Association and the Vision Zero Network has shown that even a modest increase in public transport use can effectively reduce traffic fatalities.
More than 100 people die every day in crashes on roads, prompting governments and communities to become increasingly aware of this reality and to find ways to make roads safer for everyone. Researcher said in a recent press release that investing in strong passenger transport services in Dubai is one of the best solutions for improving urban road safety and reducing fatalities.
What are the benefits of public transport for communities?
Passenger Transport Company in UAE many benefits to communities, such as easy access to employment, childcare facilities, healthcare, education, and government services for residents. Public transport helps to reduce urban congestion and air pollution and is one of the most economical and sustainable ways for city residents to travel daily.
This mode of transport even benefits those in society who do not use public transport and are classified as “low-risk” drivers, as it radically avoids high-risk drivers (drunk drivers, inexperienced young people, elderly people) from taking to the roads and limits their risk of being victimized by the mistakes of other drivers while driving.
Public transport also positively impacts people’s mental health, as public transport is usually less stressful than driving, and people have more time to read, listen to music, study, multitask, and relax during their commute. Another benefit is increased physical activity as commuters walk to and from bus stops.
What can be done in the future?
City planners and officials nationwide have greatly improved public transport systems to make them safer, more efficient, and in line with current technology and advances in the field. As car ownership and traffic volumes increase, urban roads become more congested, increasing the risk of crashes and fatalities. Funds spent on rehabilitating roads and motorways and addressing the consequences of accidents could be used to improve other important social amenities, including public transport. The money saved by reducing the number of cars on the road could be used to provide better and safer public transport for the public. This is an important point to consider, as these decisions affect society.
Universal access to public transport is certainly not an easy task, but experts in the field agree that more public awareness are required to educate and motivate the people to use public transport more often. Expanding existing rail and bus networks to increase capacity and facilitate journeys between home and work in different areas is another way to increase ridership. In addition, the introduction of high-capacity public transport systems, such as rapid bus systems, with better and faster routes has already achieved good results, as one of the reasons why people opt for private transport is that commuting times are too long.
As more and more cities adopt the ‘smart’ city model, we will certainly see advances and developments in transport in the future, where city planners and officials will make decisions based on citizens’ quality of life, safety, efficiency and the environment. It follows that public transport will certainly be an important part of this, and icr can only expect to see many amazing achievements as the technology advances.
