Car Free Day,which is celebrated every year on September 22,encourages motorists to give up their cars for a day.

Vehicles are the main source of air pollutants, accounting for 15 to 20 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.

More than 2,000,000 vehicles use Dubai roads every day, exceeding the road capacity network.

As far as global statistics are concerned, there are around 10,000 to 24,000 deaths per year due to traffic congestion, which almost doubles the effect of air pollutants on public health.

 World Health Organisation study found the number of deaths attributed to diseases caused by air pollutants in Austria, Switzerland and France has exceeded 21,000 per year. This is more than the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents in these three countries.

Also, the particle pollution PM10 generated from vehicles lead to 10,000 deaths annually as a result of cardio and lung diseases caused by inhalation of this type of air pollutant.

The reduction in carbon dioxide emissions through the five editions of the Dubai initiative has reached 20 tonnes. One tonne of these emissions exceeds the size of a double-decker bus.

Air pollution is a very serious issue today but if we take the initiative to bring change,then we surely can and make the world a better place to live in.Car Free Day is a great opportunity to express the commitment of all stakeholders towards preserving the environment and adopting environment-friendly practices.