Oman transport: Illegal sign removed from road in Adam

Muscat: A road safety sign has been removed in Adam after being deemed illegal and controversial.
The road sign said, “Speed Thrills but Kills: 12 persons died. 12 persons injured on this road last month.”
Last month, local campaigners had demanded better road safety awareness campaigns in the region, especially with regards to the usage of rest stops. A construction company attempted to follow this advice without knowing that it was breaking the law.
According to the Director of the Adam police station, “The sign was reported to us at around 14:00 yesterday, and had been placed by a road maintenance company, whose foreign safety manager had read a newspaper report.”
“We spoke to the company and informed them that only the police may put up safety signs of this type, and that their statistics weren’t accurate. Normally, there is a fine, but they didn’t know and just wanted to help. The sign was ordered removed, but we gave the company permission to put up another safety sign that does not specify numbers. Maybe that would help,” added the director.
On his part, Ali Al Barwani, chief executive officer of the Oman Road Safety Association, said, “I saw an image of the sign. If it exists, then it is illegal. Only the police are allowed to put up that sort of thing.”
“I proposed the question to our members, and they were torn on the matter of this sign. Obviously, what’s being done isn’t quite enough, and some members thought this was perfect. But some said that this sign goes too far. It might be hurtful to relatives of those deceased, which is also what I believe,” Al Barwani added.
“Factories have similar signs with tallies. But those are seen by trained employees. While a legal version of this sign might save lives, it may also be too cruel. Some members thought it was a great idea; some didn’t.”
Al Barwani’s words echoed the sentiments expressed on social media, where people voiced similar opinions about the sign.
“I am against something so distracting,” said one person.
Another said, “It’s good, and there should be an image of a car crash next to it, with the identities blurred out.” Some questioned the existence of the sign, saying it could be in another town, or might have been fabricated to begin with.