Abu Dhabi Police has revealed that 10,766 motorists were fined over seatbelt violations from July 1 to December 2017 after the implementation of new traffic law. Traffic authorities implemented the new traffic law in the UAE on July 1, 2017, with an expectation to improve the road safety situation in the country. While the number of dangerous traffic violations committed by motorists decreased relatively after the implementation of the new law, motorists continued to violate the seatbelt rules, which affected the road safety situation badly in the second half of 2017.
Together with many other dangerous traffic violations, traffic rules for the use of seatbelts were also changed in the new traffic law and penalties against offenders were increased. Traffic authorities continued to launch campaigns to make motorists aware of the amended seatbelt rules and to build an understanding of the importance of wearing a seatbelt while driving. Seatbelt violations can be extremely hazardous as not wearing a seatbelt can increase the risk of fatal injuries in the event of a dangerous accident.
Details of the Seatbelt Violations Recorded During the Second Half of 2017
Despite a slight decrease recorded from previous year in the number of violations committed by motorists, the road safety stats of 2017 can still not be considered as satisfactory. In many dangerous road accidents recorded across the UAE during 2017, 525 roads deaths were reported and 60% of these road deaths were caused because of not wearing seatbelts.
According to Abu Dhabi Police, 10,766 motorists were penalized for seatbelt violations under the Article No. 51 of the Traffic Rules (178).
These stats highlight that seatbelt violations remained on a high in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE even after the implementation of new traffic law and its supplementary awareness campaigns, which is absolutely contrary to the expectations of the authorities. Motorists were urged and advised by authorities via multiple awareness campaigns to adopt safe driving habits, but the road safety situation continued to worsen in the second half mainly because of seatbelt violations.
Also read: 37,519 Motorists Fined for Not Wearing Seatbelts in Dubai
What are the New Penalties for Seatbelt Violations?
A new seatbelt policy was introduced in the amended traffic law and in addition to the implementation of new rules, the penalties for seatbelt violations were also changed. According to the new policy, the driver of a vehicle will be penalized with a fine of AED 400 and four black points will be issued against the driver’s license for not wearing a seatbelt while driving. Also according to the new rules, it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that all passengers of the vehicle wear seatbelts and a fine of AED 400 per passenger will be imposed on the driver if one or more passengers fail to wear seatbelts.
The new seatbelt policy also penalizes motorists over ignoring child safety protocols. According to the new policy, motorists must install (if not already installed) child safety seat with top tethering anchors in their cars and children under 4 should always sit in these safety seats. Additionally, it is also important for motorists to make sure that any child under the age of 10 years or below 145cm doesn’t sit in the front seat of the vehicle.
Also read: Traffic Violations with Maximum Fines in the UAE
Official Statement about Seatbelt Violations
Motorists have been regularly advised by the authorities to improve their driving habits and comply with road safety practices. Wearing a seatbelt is a basic road safety principle, which should never be ignored as it can increase the danger of fatal injuries in the event of a dangerous road accident.
Brigadier Mohammad Dahi, Director of Abu Dhabi Traffic Patrol Department, urged motorists to be more cautious in their approach and develop the habit of wearing a seatbelt. He also emphasized the importance of wearing a seatbelt for rear passengers in a vehicle and said that it was the responsibility of the driver to ensure that all passengers wear the seatbelt.
He said that seatbelts are there for the safety of the driver and passengers and can save them from fatal injuries in the event of an accident. The risk of being thrown out of the vehicle in a dangerous road collision increases considerably when motorists don’t wear seatbelts, which can often prove to have deadly consequences.
Also read: Traffic Police in RAK Adopts an Offbeat Approach to Promote the Use of Seatbelts
Bottom-line
Motorists must cooperate with the authorities who are working tirelessly to improve the road safety situation. The increased number of road deaths caused by seatbelt violations in 2017 highlight the need for change in the mindset of motorists who must be more careful and proactive in their approach. It is important for motorists to wear seatbelts while driving and adopt safe driving habits in order to avoid dangerous road situations and hefty traffic penalties.
If you are looking to sell your used car to buy a new one with advanced safety features and improved performance, then don’t forget that with us, you can sell any used car in just 30 minutes while all the post-sale paperwork is handled by SellAnyCar.com’s team.
