Welcome to Oman

Driving in Oman -
Road Safety

Trevor Harrison - CSM/6

Corporate Road Safety Adviser
Driving in Oman is Different!
Arrive Enjoy
Working Leave
in Road
& NO Oman
Oman Traffic
Living Fit &
Fit & Accident?
In Oman Healthy
Healthy
(2 - 4 years?)
No Injury /
YES
Minor Injury!
Coastal Driving - Some Characteristics
• Rule Breaking is Common
• Erratic / Unpredictable
• Inconsiderate
• Roads Difficult

Summary - Immature Driving Environment

Interior Driving - Some Characteristics

• Graded Roads
• Wadis
• Animals - Collision Risk
• Remote - In the event of an Accident:
– may take hours to get help
– Police Only
– NO EFFECTIVE AMBULANCE OR FIRE SERVICE
• Hostile Environment

Summary - Harsh / Unforgiving Environment

 What Are the Risks?
Driving is probably Your Most Dangerous
activity
Driving in Oman is some 5 to 10 times more dangerous than
driving in Europe
Note - 1966 to 1998.
Oman:
RTA Fatalities
have increased 1996: - 512 Road Accident Fatalities
by 20% 1997: - 549 Road Accident Fatalities
1998: - 614 Fatalities - Including 50 children below the age of 6
(not wearing Seat Belts?)

PDO Road Safety Figures are comparable

with some European countries
 What causes most accidents?
The Driver
• Acts to cause an accident - Deliberate Acts
of Rule Breaking - eg speeding, illegal overtaking
• Fails to act to prevent an accident - eg not
looking ahead, not driving defensively
• Fails to act to reduce the consequences of
an accident - eg does not ensure seatbelts are
worn
 What Keeps you Safe on the
Road?
The Driver
A GOOD DRIVER controls
90% of the Risk
- see below
“Root cause analysis, shows that human error accounts for more than
90% of road accidents.”
- Safety Features of Light Vehicles and Mini Buses.
Shell Health, Safety and Environment Committee, July 1997.
“In more than 90% of traffic accidents, human error is the cause;
accidents do not just happen by chance, they are the consequences of unsafe driving
practices.”
- Roadcraft - The Police Driver’s Handbook, Page 1, Chapter 1, The Stationary Office, UK,
1997.
What Does it Mean to be a Good Driver?
Medically
A Good Driver Fit

Experience

ATTITUDE Knowledge Skills

Personal Decision Training

 ATTITUDE
•Expect the Unexpected
•Be Fully Aware of what is happening
around you on the road - at the same
time maintain a Relaxed and Detached
ATTITUDE
•Make a Personal Decision that:
•Safety of People Comes First
•Anything Else Comes Second
Your First Objective
should be to:

To Complete Your
Journey Safely
 ATTITUDE

Personal Decision:

•Safety of People Comes First

•Anything else comes second
 Some Local Laws
• Illegal to Drink and Drive - Permitted Alcohol
Level for driving is ZERO
(Check your insurance policy - you are
probably not insured if you have been drinking)
• Illegal to drive whilst using GSM
• Illegal to overtake on the right
• Traffic from the left has priority - traffic turning
right gives way to traffic turning left - see ‘A Guide to
Family Safety, p62’
 Vehicle Wish List - Safety
• Keep the Driver Comfortable and in Control:
• Good:- Lights / Brakes / Steering / Tyres
• Accident Mitigation: Mass of at least 1000 kg / 3 point
inertia seat belts / air bags / head restraints / side impact
protection / roll cage & luggage screen (4WD)

Personal Choice
 Conceptual Difference - 2WD vs 4WD

4WDs - BIG DISADVANTAGES:

Large mass / High CG / Long, soft springs
Can be difficult to control 2 to 3
DANGER OF ROLLOVER Tonnes
1
Tonne

Saloon Car 4 Wheel Drive

4WDs - BIG ADVANTAGES:

High Driving Position / Excellent Visibility
Enables: - look ahead / early hazard identification /
early reaction to hazards
 Safety Notice displayed inside a Jeep Cherokee

This utility vehicle handles and maneuvers differently

from many passenger cars both on-road and off-road.
You must drive it safely. As with other utility vehicles if
you make sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers, you may
cause this vehicle to go out of control and roll over
and crash.
You or your passengers may be seriously injured.
 Danger - Rollover

Avoidance:
•Good Driving Survival:
•Rules - Speed •Speed
•Tyres •Seat Belts
•Driving Course •Rollcage
•First Aid
 Danger - Collision

Avoidance: Survival:
•Good Driving •Seat Belts
•Rules - Speed •Air bags
•Safe Distance Rule •Mass
•Defensive Driving •First Aid
•ATTITUDE
 Danger - Graded Road:
- Collision
- Rollover

Avoidance:
•Good Driving
•Dust Code
Survival:
•Headlights
•Seat Belts
•Speed - 80 kph max
•Rollcage
•First Aid
 Danger - Getting Lost
- Stuck
- Broken-down

Avoidance:
•Planning / Maps
•Good Maintenance
•2nd Vehicle Survival:
•Equipment: •Journey Management
Spade / Rope / •Stay with vehicle
Sand boards •WATER!
Air Jack / Spares
 Danger - Rain
- Wadis

Avoidance:
- Stay home if it is Raining!
•Roads:
- Safe Following Distance
•Wadis
- Slow down
- Don’t cross unless it is safe
- 4WD Low Ratio
- IF IN DOUBT WAIT! Survival:
•Water level can change quickly
•Reach place of safety if possible
 Danger - Driving on Camp

Survival:
•Seat Belts
Avoidance:
•First Aid
•Good Driving
•5555
•Rules - Speed - 50 kph
 That Extra Speed does make a Difference!

Vehicle - Pedestrian Collision

Likelihood of killing the Pedestrian

30kph - 5%
50 kph - 50%
65 kph - almost 100%

Bullbars make the front of a vehicle

“more aggressive”.
In the event of a collision the
likelihood of a fatality is increased.
 Danger - School Car Park
School Car Park: -
The place where
20 kg children meet
2000 kg vehicles

Avoidance:
•Speed - Walking Pace!!! Survival:
•First Aid
•5555
 Night Driving
Avoid it if you can outside of the coastal area:
• Difficult on graded roads
• Increased risk of hitting camels and other
animals
• Other vehicles may not be using lights or do
not use them properly

Try to complete your journey by sunset

 What to do in case of an accident
• Documents to carry:
– Driving Licence / Motor Vehicle Licence / Labour Card-Expats
• Call Police Directly or Call PDO
• Do Not Move Vehicles
• Injured people - first aid / common sense
• Emergency Numbers:
– ROP EMERGENCY - 999
– PDO - Immediate Assistance - (67)5555
– PDO - Vehicle Damage - 677488 / 675445
» Pager 9124003 - Outside Office Hours
 Courses
Occupational Training National Training Institute
International
Madinat Qaboos
Al Khuwair
Tel - 604741 / 695363 Tel- 605273
Fax 692201 / 692203
Driving:
Fax - 607720
• Interior Driving - 1 Day - OR45 • Offroad Driving - Thursday am
• Off Road -  Day - OR 45 (Now cancelled due to lack of
• Defensive Driving - 1 Day - OR 85 interest!)
First Aid: • Defensive Driving - Thursdays 8
• Basic Life Support - 1 Day - OR 25 am to 3 pm - OR 60
• Practical 1st Aid - 2 day - OR 40 • Child & Infant CPR - 1
• Industrial 1st Aid - 4 day - OR 70 Day - OR 22
Enjoy Driving in Oman

Personal Decision:

•Safety of People Comes First

•Anything else comes second

Seatbelts Save Lives

- Use Them!