As a regional initiative, originated from the partnership with RoadSafetyUAE, KQIC Insured (Kuwait Qatar Insurance Company) now introduces the Road Safety Monitor, which is a bi-annual survey done by YouGov for KQIC Insured, to gauge how drivers experience the roads and traffic in Kuwait

• 78 % experience an increase in people speeding on the roads over the last six months
• 87 % see more distracted drivers than in last six months (texting or talking on the phone, reading the newspaper etc.)
• 35 % agree that the roads and the infrastructure have been improved
• 69 % say that the roads are more challenging

Kuwait City, March 7th, 2016: Kuwait’s motorists applaud the government’s efforts to further improve the road infrastructure but at the same time 76 % experience a longer daily commute to work and 69 % feel the roads have become more challenging over the last six months, according to the KQIC Insured Road Safety Monitor

The study, commissioned by KQIC Insured is the first of a planned ongoing study to quantify perception trends of motorists about infrastructure, the overall driving enjoyment, commute time, driving behavior (linked to the main causes of accidents, injuries and fatalities), and fines & accidents

The perception trends are measured for the last 6 respective months

This cycle was conducted by YouGov in February 2016, and based on an idea by and in partnership with RoadSafetyUAE, who did the first cycle back in April 2015 for the UAE. The monitor for Kuwait is based on the views of a representative sample amongst the residents in Kuwait

Commenting on the KQIC Insured Road Safety Monitor, Hassan Al-Jaidah, CEO, Kuwait Qatar Insurance Company said: “We are proud to introduce this unique long term perception study in Kuwait, as it provides hard facts to us and all concerned stakeholders to work in the right direction with regards to making the roads safer. Furthermore, it supports the efforts of KQIC Insured to actively support the creation of safer roads.”

Infrastructure improvements, but longer daily commute: More than 1/3 of the respondents applaud the efforts of Kuwait government institutions to build new roads, bridges and access roads; with 35 % reporting that road infrastructure has improved in the last six months

However, 57 % of respondents say they enjoy driving on Kuwait’s roads less than six months ago, compared to 25% who enjoy it more now

An unlucky 76 % report a longer drive to work, whilst only 14 % feel the daily commute has become faster

Driving behavior: more reckless driving behavior and large increase in distracted drivers Whilst the government works hard to improve road facilities, the driving culture is seen as a big challenge

78 % of respondents say, they have seen more speeding vehicles on the roads in the last 6 months, 76 % perceive more tailgating, 87 % more distracted driving and 79 % more abrupt lane changing (#1 killer on our roads!)

69 % believe Kuwait’s roads have become more challenging in the last 6 months while only 19 % believe they have become less challenging

Mr. Frederik Bisbjerg, Executive Vice President, MENA Retail, Qatar Insurance Company explains, “safer roads is a benefit for all, families, businesses, government and insurers, and we as one of the leading insurers have a real opportunity to play a part in affecting how people drive – the government promotes safe driving and fines reckless drivers when they break the rules, and we as an insurer can offer safe drivers a ‘carrot’ in the form of lower insurance premiums – this monitor is an important step in understanding how KQIC Insured can play a role for safer roads in Kuwait”

Arabic