Police say traffic safety plan in place for Ramadan

AMMAN — The Public Security Department (PSD) said Sunday it has a traffic safety plan in place to be implemented during Ramadan, when traffic jams become more common near markets, places of warship and on main roads.

The plan entails deploying more police officers near residential neighbourhoods and markets, and increasing their number on main roads during rush hours, according to a PSD statement. 

The department said supervision over markets that receive a large number of customers will be intensified to prevent theft or pickpocketing, illegal change of prices and other similar incidents. 

Measures also include ensuring a swift flow of traffic, especially before iftar, the meal to break the day-long fast. 

This period tends to be marked by an increase in accident frequency because of speeding and disregard of traffic regulations, as many motorists rush to get home in time for iftar.

Last Ramadan, the Greater Amman Municipality issued 33,000 traffic tickets.

In the first two weeks of the fasting month that year, 2,620 road accidents took place in Jordan, 284 more than in the same period of 2014, according to the Central Traffic Department.

Speeding, reckless driving, congestion, wrongful overtaking and tailgating were the main reasons behind the accidents last Ramadan, the department said.

The PSD's media directorate and Amen FM radio station, in coordination with other media outlets, will publish news related to traffic movement and provide necessary advice to the public.