Doha, March 02 (QNA) - The Ministry of Interior (MoI), represented by the General Directorate of Traffic (GDT), will mark the 36th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Traffic Week Sunday until Mar. 8. under the theme of driving without a phone.

On this occasion, Director General of Traffic Maj. Gen Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al-Thani emphasized that MoI annually observes this occasion to bolster safety requirements on road and highlight the risks of traffic accidents and their impact on all community segments, in addition to demonstrating GDT efforts in this field.

The reduction in the number of traffic violations and accidents during the past period is an indication of the surge in traffic awareness, he said, adding that GDT always aspires to increase the level of traffic culture and strives to make safe driving an omnipresent culture among drivers and users of roads.

The Director General of Traffic pointed out that the MoI, represented by GDT, will spare no effort to promote traffic awareness and culture and strengthen the adherence to traffic rules, in addition to taking essential measures to control traffic felonies and erratic behavior that squarely pose a threat to safety on roads.

The Director General of Traffic emphasized that GDT would keep pursuing its approach to promote the traffic system through leveraging the plans and techniques of optimizing the performance with respect to road management, law enforcement, and raising traffic awareness among various community segments.

Opting for this year mantra, driving without a phone, underscores the risks arising from this felony, because it is one of the major causes of traffic accidents, he underlined, highlighting that the GDT started to operate the unified radar system to detect violations on seat belt and mobile phone use while driving last September within the framework of its continuous efforts to achieve the maximum utilization of electronic systems in controlling traffic and maximize road surveillance.

He lauded the efforts of the Gulf traffic systems during the past period within the framework of joint integration and cooperation among them to address the pressing traffic issues in the region, urging all drivers to make this occasion a reminder of the significance of adherence to traffic law and etiquette to protect lives and property.

On this occasion, GDT is set to launch an awareness campaign, as well as a variety of cultural activities to reinforce the traffic awareness and spur drivers and road users to adhere to laws and rules to achieve the highest levels of traffic security and safety. (QNA)