ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER ON SATURDAY DangeroUS DRIVING Pakistan’s Malala, India’s Satyarthi win Nobel Peace Prize OSLO: The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly yesterday to 17-year- old Pakistani Malala Yousafzai, who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban, and to India’s anti-child labour activist Kailash Satyarthi for their championing of children’s rights. Malala, the youngest ever Nobel lau- reate, heard the news while at school in Birmingham, England, where she was taken from Pakistan to receive life-saving treatment two years ago. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said the duo had been chosen for their strug- gle against the repression of children and young people and “for the right of all chil- dren to education”. Malala, who had fought for years for the right of girls to go to school in her home region, leapt to global fame after the Taliban — who oppose women’s edu- cation — tried to gun her down in October 2012. Satyarthi, who founded a campaign in the 1980s to combat child labour in the carpet industry, said he was “delighted”, calling the Nobel prize “recognition of our fight for child rights”. See also pages 6,12 & 13 Ebola joke sparks alert on plane THE ISSUE NEW YORK: Jitters in the US over Ebola were underlined yesterday after an air passenger’s joke sparked a full- The road accidents last week significantly. Studies done recently suggest many. “The fine for traffic violations is on alert, while another plane was quar- have once again brought the that the use of mobile phones while driving very high in Qatar, but still people are not antined at Las Vegas airport because and exceeding speed limits are the major obeying rules, so only education and change someone vomited onboard. In the joke issue of road safety to the fore. traffic violations and causes of accidents in in mindset will help reduce accidents,” a incident, a Hazmat (hazardous mate- The mishaps, in which nine the country. person commented on a social networking Design: Abraham Augusthy rials) team in blue suits boarded a US “Number of accidents will fall sharply in website. Airways Flight from Philadelphia to the persons lost their lives, dented Qatar if drivers develop a little patience. If immediate steps are not taken to con- Dominican Republic on Wednesday. the mood of Eid celebrations in Drivers honking and flashing headlights trol road accidents, things will only get A passenger was reported to have said: Qatar. Citizens and expatriates to go ahead is now a common sight. These worse. “Hey, I’ve got Ebola, you’re screwed.” people also do not hesitate in overtaking A study, funded by the Qatar National After the flight reached its destination, said these lives could have been from the wrong side. This kind of behaviour Research Fund and conducted in collabora- a member of the cabin crew requested all saved if the motorists drove increases the chances of road accidents,” tion with the Traffic Department and the passengers sit down before the Hazmat more responsibly. said an expatriate living in Al Wakra. Qatar Statistics Authority, has predicted squad arrived. “It’s going to look worse A recent study by the Department of that the number of traffic accidents in the than it is,” the attendant spoke over the Medical Statistics and Epidemiology at country will be about 220,000 annually by intercom as she sought to calm nerves. ncreasing population and rise in Hamad Medical Corporation on driving in 2015. “I’ve done this for 36 years. I think the number of vehicles in Qatar has led Qatar has found that those who used mobile However, authorities continue efforts to man that has said this is an idiot,” she to a spike in accident cases. According phones while driving had a higher number bring down traffic violations and road acci- added. Footage of the incident went viral Ito statistics by the Hamad Medical of fines for not obeying traffic lights (45.3 dents but more steps are needed. on the Internet, and was viewed nearly Corporation, every year more than 4,000 per cent) and for exceeding the speed limit Around 120 radars were installed across 3.3 million times by late afternoon yes- vehicle crashes occur in Qatar that causes (48.2 per cent). the country and more policemen were terday since it was uploaded to YouTube. over 600 major injuries resulting in around Another study by Qatar University indi- deployed to identify traffic violators. Speed 200 deaths. Road traffic injuries are identi- cated that Qatar has the world’s highest detecting radars were installed every 2 to 4 scribe fied as one of the leading causes of death in fatality rate from traffic accidents consider- kilometres on busy roads. The cameras will IS kills Iraq the country. One out of eight deaths (12.5 ing its population. identify drivers who exceed speed limits, SAMARRA, IRAQ: Islamic State percent) is caused due to road accidents. The menace of rising accidents can be and those who overtake from the wrong militants executed an Iraqi news cam- A change in driving behaviour can tackled by people’s cooperation and stricter side. eraman, his brother and two other bring down the instances of accidents implementation of traffic rules, believe See also page 2 civilians in public yesterday in a village north of Baghdad, the journalist’s rela- tives said. AGENCIES See also page 9 Saturday 11 October 2014 • 17 Dhu’l-Hijja 1435 • Volume 19 • Number 6215 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 02 OCTOBER 11, 2014 ON SATURDAY www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Call to curb violations Some believe stricter enforcement can reduce number of accidents; others want more awareness oncern about reckless travelling was hit by a Land Cruiser driving and irresponsi- from the rear. The force of the colli- ble motorist behaviour sion was so strong that the car went has come to the fore once up in flames. again, after at least nine In another incident, three per- Cpeople died in three road accidents sons — a Qatari, a Bahraini and an in the country during the Eid Al Iranian — died on Corniche Road in Adha holidays. a crash involving four cars. Though isolated incidents, they In one more incident, a man driv- have evoked concern about danger- ing a saloon car died on the spot ous driving, triggering fear among when he crashed into a trailer on some that they could become vic- the Airport-Al Wakra Road. tims of the adventurism of a reckless “I saw the charred remains driver. of the car on the way to Hamad Citizens and expatriates have International Airport around 2.15pm called on authorities to enforce on Monday. Never knew there was stricter laws against erring driv- such a tragic loss behind the scene,” ers and pedestrians. Others suggest said a Facebook comment. that creating more awareness will Another commentator said: “It’s prevent road accidents. Another sad that in seconds, reckless driv- key suggestion is for heavy vehicles ing takes the lives of many innocent to follow lane discipline and being people. It just happened that they allowed to ply during the stipulated were at the place, at the time and time. One of the fatal accidents dur- when it’s your time, then it’s your ing Eid involved a trailer. time. You were destined to die in a “Everyone is responsible for traffic car accident, so no matter what pre- violations. Drivers as well as pedes- cautions you take, it will happen.” trians must act more responsibly,” Some suggested that more aware- said Ahmed Lafeer, a long-time ness programmes would help reduce Doha resident. the number of road accidents and “Recently, I saw two children traffic violations. who would be around five, trying to “Start a campaign against these cross the road in front of the Qatar kinds of (reckless) drivers and sub- Pic: Salim Matramkot Volleyball Association in the New ject them to strong legal action. Let’s Salata area. They were almost hit start now to stop accidents in the Also, several others said that ROAD ACCIDENTS IN AUGUST 2014 by a speeding car. The driver and the future,” said a commentator. overtaking vehicles from the right parents have to be blamed,” added Another said: “The fine for traf- is a very common violation. Lafeer. fic violations is very high in Qatar, According to 2013 figures, the Another Arab expatriate, born but people are still not obeying rules, number of accidents dropped by 9.5 and raised in Qatar, said: “Many so only education and a change in percent in 2012 as compared to 2011. 19 drive recklessly at the cost of the mindset will help reduce accidents.” And the number of pedestrians other’s fear. They assume that other However, others disagree with who died in mishaps dropped to 56 drivers will give way to a carelessly the suggestion and say that reckless during the year from 61 in 2011 and driven car, but they don’t realise driving could be curbed only through a high of 74 in 2010. PEOPLE DIED they risk lives until an accident responsible behaviour of motorists. However, data from different occurs.” “Drivers who consider themselves research studies indicate varying “Road accidents take place eve- above the law; who drive recklessly, findings about traffic violations. rywhere, but if we are careful every flashing their headlights to get ahead A recent study by the accident can be prevented,” she of everyone and show off; who put Department of Medical Statistics added.