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       In the UK and the US, road markings indicating the minimum distance to keep from other vehicles have been shown to reduce accidents.
       ABU DHABI // The UAE may introduce white V-shaped road markings to indicate the minimum distance between vehicles in a bid to reduce collisions caused by driving too close to each other, experts say.
       ”Several U.S. states and European countries have implemented this measure in pilot zones and have seen a reduction in the number of vehicles following and speeding in V-sign zones,” said Mike Dresness, executive vice president of the International Road Federation’s U.S. chapter.
       ”Interestingly, research shows that the benefits extend far beyond the chevron markings.”
       According to research by the British consultancy Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), the number of accidents on sections of road with V-shaped markings in the UK fell by 56% compared to the same section of road before the markings were applied.
       Simon Labbett, regional director at TRL, said: “V-markings are used by UK highways authorities primarily where there is evidence of accident sites and multiple vehicle collisions.”
       ”They have proven to be effective in reducing collisions and increasing vehicle spacing, and their effect extends well beyond the chevron area.”
       There are V-shaped signs on the road and the driver must ensure there are two V-shaped signs between their vehicle and the vehicle in front of them. “The distance between the signs depends on the speed of the vehicle and provides a gap of two seconds,” Mr Labbett said. “The faster you go, the more space there is between the signs.”
       For drivers who are too close to the car in front, the V-shaped sign will provide a visual reminder to keep a safe distance. Mr Labbett said the V-shaped sign would also help police identify and prosecute drivers guilty of such driving behaviour.
       Khaled Al Mansoori, deputy CEO of UAE Driving Company, said V-marking in the UAE could be beneficial.
       ”We ask drivers to leave at least three seconds between their car and the car in front, but worryingly many people don’t know exactly how much that should be,” he said. “These chevron markings make the measurement simpler and more intuitive.”
       There were 63 road fatalities in Abu Dhabi in the first three months of this year, compared with 88 in the same period last year.
       Police say most fatalities are caused by drivers following too closely, swerving, speeding on unstable road conditions, failing to give way to pedestrians crossing the road and blowing tires.
       “Back-to-back driving is one of the most noticeable features of driving in the UAE,” says traffic expert Glenn Havinowicki. “The situation in the UAE is far worse than what I have seen anywhere else, especially on highways.”
       In Dubai, the number of road traffic-related deaths rose by 40% last year compared with 2012.
       ”One of the reasons drivers follow too closely is because drivers don’t have lane discipline,” Labbett said.
       ”If you’re going to install chevron markings, you’re going to have to identify areas where there’s a lot of back-to-back traffic, especially on busy roads,” Mr. Hawinowski said. “E11 is a smart choice, but it needs to be installed in areas where there’s a lot of back-to-back traffic,” he said. “If you duplicate markings and signs everywhere, they can lose their effectiveness.”
       Abu Dhabi-based Canadian engineer Iftikhar Ahmed said his son was studying at a university in the UK and was impressed by the use of V-shaped markings on British motorways.
       ”While drivers will follow the two-second rule based on their reactions, everyone’s circumstances are different,” he said. “We need more scientific measures, such as V-shaped signs, to avoid following cars too closely on the highway.”
       ”These measures, combined with other education and enforcement measures, represent an effective tool for changing driver behaviour,” he said.