The big killers: speed, phones, seat belts and tailgating

Most serious crashes are not freak accidents. They come from a short list of choices that drivers make every day. Learn the list, and you remove most of the risk before you turn the key.

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The picture in numbers

• WHO says about 1.16 million people die on the world's roads each year, and road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for people aged 5 to 29.
• In the UAE, Khaleej Times (May 2026), reporting an analysis of Ministry of Interior figures by RoadSafetyUAE, says four violations caused nearly 60% of major crashes in 2025: sudden swerving (18%), distracted driving (16%), tailgating (14%) and negligence or inattention (11%).
• The same report says new drivers were involved in 15% of major accidents in 2025.
• There is good news too: Khaleej Times reports that Dubai's road death rate fell from 21.7 per 100,000 people in 2007 to 1.8 in 2024. Safer roads are possible when drivers change habits.

Speed: small increases, big consequences

• WHO says every 1% increase in average speed raises the risk of a fatal crash by about 4%.
• WHO also says a pedestrian hit by a car at 65 km/h is about 4.5 times as likely to die as one hit at 50 km/h.
• Speed limits are a maximum, not a target. UK guidance says to keep your speed low enough to stop within the distance you can see is clear (Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service).
• If you feel pressure to keep up with faster traffic, move right (in the UAE) and let them pass. Arriving two minutes later is not a loss.

Phones and distraction

• WHO says drivers using mobile phones are about 4 times more likely to crash, hands-free phones are not much safer than hand-held ones, and texting considerably increases crash risk.
• Distracted driving was the second biggest cause of major UAE crashes in 2025 in the RoadSafetyUAE analysis reported by Khaleej Times.
• Before moving: set the map, choose the music or podcast, and switch on 'driving focus' or 'do not disturb'. Put the phone where you cannot reach it.
• If you must call, read or reply, stop somewhere safe and legal first.
• Distraction is not only phones: eating, adjusting screens, and lively passengers all take your eyes and mind off the road.

Seat belts, every seat, every trip

• WHO says wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of death for vehicle occupants by up to 50%, and child restraints are associated with a 71% reduction in infant deaths.
• Gulf News (updated November 2025) says all passengers in the UAE must wear seat belts, including in the rear seats, and that children under 4 must be in a suitable car seat.
• The same Gulf News report (November 2025) says that front seat passengers must be at least 10 years old and 145 cm tall, and that the driver faces a Dh400 fine and four black points for a seat belt or child seat violation.
• As the driver, you are responsible for everyone in your car. Do not move off until every belt is clicked.

Tailgating and the two-second gap

• Tailgating, driving too close to the car in front, caused 14% of major UAE crashes in 2025 in the analysis reported by Khaleej Times.
• UK guidance recommends at least a two-second gap on faster roads, at least doubled on wet roads (Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, following the Highway Code).
• To measure it, pick a fixed point such as a lamp post. When the car ahead passes it, count two seconds slowly. If you reach the point before you finish counting, drop back.
• If someone tailgates you, do not brake-test them. Keep a steady speed, and when it is safe, move over and let them pass.
• Leave more space behind lorries and in fog, dust or rain, when everyone needs longer to stop.