Qatar has seen a significant decrease in the number of fatal road traffic accidents after rolling out speed cameras in 2007, according to a report by the Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC).

The report considered the impact of speed cameras on motor vehicle accidents and examined data from 2000 to 2010.

As the majority of the speed cameras were installed during 2007, researchers have examined injury rates before and after the use of photo enforcement cameras.

The report noted the number of speed cameras on the roads increased from 14 to 84, a six-fold increase during the ten-year period.

Before 2007, two-thirds of all trauma-related deaths in Qatar were due to car accidents with three quarters of the victims being under the age of 50.

Results have revealed fatal car accident rates had declined by 15% to 100,000 after 2007 when cameras were installed.

WCMC recommends that speed cameras are important for traffic control, but other measures will be required for maximum impact.