Fatal crash in Oman sparks safety calls for danger road

 There have been increased calls for the Muscat to Salalah road to be made safer after the latest fatal crash.

resulting in two deaths and multiple injuries. Another person is in a critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a hospital in Nizwa. 

According to the ROP, the collision took place at 11.54 pm in the Qarn Al Alam area near Adam.

Less than a month ago, another crash had happened on the same road to Salalah near Haima, which claimed two lives and injured many others.

Mahiuddin Ahmed, survivor of the previous accident said, “I cannot believe this has happened, once again, on the same road, just 15 or 20 days after I was on that road myself,” he said.

“I heard of the news last night and now, I am wondering if I should ever take that road again because it is very dangerous. Maybe it would be better to travel by Salalah by flight, if I need to.

“The reason this is happening is because the road is not big enough. If you make a single mistake, you could end up paying for it,” he added.

“Either this road should be made better, or more experienced drivers should be provided for these roads, because otherwise, people’s lives are unnecessarily being put at risk.”

Ali Al Barwani, Chairman of the Oman Road Safety Association raised concern over the rise in the number of accidents on the Muscat Salalah road, “I heard about this accident and now it is being circulated on social media widely. It really shouldn’t have happened.

“There has been one more accident on this road in less than a month, and we are coming to Ramadan and Khareef and these buses are going to rise on the road.

“One of the factors maybe the low light on the street, there is no street lights in many parts and I think transport firms need to take precautions, and change their time tables and avoid night journeys, because usually those tend to be dangerous. They should also have two drivers on board, so that they can alternate.”

“We are waiting for the Adam-Thumrait highway and other such highways and perhaps more lanes in the track, because that will help reduce the number of accidents on that road.”

Amna Al Balushi, a Municipal Council member from Seeb said that it was time that an action needed to be taken, “The number of road accidents has increased tremendously and a solution needs to be brought in.

“The government can probably introduce more modes of safer public transport and give training and workshops to the drivers and also educate children on road safety from a young age. I feel strongly for this.”

Warith Al Harrasi, someone who regularly travels to Salalah by road said, “This is shocking, two accidents within a month is terrible but I am not surprised. I normally drive to and from Salalah, but I once tried the bus.

“There is only one track in most parts, so I think they really need to be careful especially at night when the visibility is so low and there is hardly any space.”

Other drivers also said that single-lane road stretch is risky for driving. “Even a small mistake can lead to disaster on these roads, there is always an accident waiting to happen on that road,” a motorist said.

Manpreet Singh, Chairman of the Indian Social Club in Salalah, said, “We need double tracks on the Salalah- Muscat road for safer travel, and the drivers need to rest adequately, because it’s not a matter of their lives only but the lives of so many other passengers.”

An official from one of the two transport companies whose bus was involved in the crash told the Times of Oman that investigations were on, “Investigation are underway on the crash, today we have scheduled the buses to leave at 3pm and they will reach Dubai tomorrow, so our buses are going as per normal schedule, the time table has not been affected.”

The Ministry of Health also released a statement saying said that their emergency and medical response plan had been activated.

Nizwa Hospital received victims from the accident after they were treated at a hospital in Adam. These include the two victims, who died, with 12 still being treated for injuries and one in intensive care, while seven more were discharged.

A source at Nizwa Hospital said that two people were dead and 20 injured, “Two people died and 20 were injured, some of the injured were shifted to Royal Hospital and some to the Khoula Hospital, and also to other hospitals.”

A hospital in Haima is currently treating five more victims, who are said to be in a stable condition. One more patient is currently at the hospital in Adam.
Source: Timesofoman