Watch the time!

Much of the bad behavior on the streets is caused by drivers who are IN A RUSH to get somewhere on time. And this is the very problem!

Being in a rush can cause us to over-speed, to drive recklessly, to forget the basic rules of road etiquette and politeness, to jump queues, to bully others who are in our way, and so on! ‘Running late’ is the #1 cause for speeding in the UAE, and the #2 cause for tailgating!

How often do we start our trips too late? How often do we not plan in advance for some possible delay on UAE’s congested roads?

In 2021, jointly with our CSR-Partner Volkswagen, we conducted a YouGov research (n <1,000) to understand the root causes of ‘running late’, with these key findings:

80% of drivers admit to start their trips late (only 20% ‘never’)
80% of those running late are more likely to speed
59% of those running late are more likely to tailgate
50% of those running late show less consideration to other road users
50% of those running late are more likely to drive distracted

What’s the easy fix?

82% think leaving 10 minutes early would mean you would drive more safely
57% think arriving early benefits them by ‘being calmer / less stressed’
56% think arriving early means to be ‘more prepared before their meeting’
29% would use the time to check for updates on their mobile phone
25% would go for a quick coffee
21% would call someone

…‘LEAVING 10 MINUTES EARLY’… it’s simple, free and effective!

Just do the math: if your trip normally takes you 20 minutes, but you leave 5 minutes late, you have to drive 33% faster to reach at your destination at the same time, meaning:

• where you usually drive 100km/h you would have to drive 133km/h,
• where you usually drive 120kh/h you would have to drive 160kh/m, and so on

… and this is dangerous!!

Calculate for your own road trip by using our ‘Running Late Speeding Calculator’: Calculations for Speeding

How to do it right!

Here are some tips how to make our lives easier and our travels safer, for ourselves and for others:

• WATCH THE TIME!
• Start your trip a little earlier and plan for some possible delay on the road
• Consider that the same trip during rush-hours might take longer than off-rush-hour
• Consider that weather conditions can cause delays like fog, rain and storm
• It’s all about good planning, but also about executing your plan with discipline – meaning: the intention alone is not enough; you must really leave on time!
• BE DISCIPLINED AND LEAVE EARLY!
• Make it a habit to plan arriving 10 minutes early to all your appointments
• Also plan your chores properly: nothing is more cumbersome than finding out you are running low on petrol just when you need to be somewhere on time – fill up your tank on time!
• Check that you have everything you need when you start your trip – it’s annoying having to turn around for the forgotten mobile phone!
• In case you do get caught in traffic and you are in danger of running late, stick to the road rules and stick the road etiquette!
• Even if you are running late, do not over-speed, do not drive recklessly and care for the others around you!
• If you are running late, do not take risks for you and others, just relax and learn from it! And for your next trip, allow for more time … and leave earlier!
• It’s all about good planning – even for the shortest of trips!