Reckless driving and endangering lives of commuters on the road can now have severe penalties for the UAE motorists. Any traffic breach by a motorist that threatens the lives of others may result in jail time for the motorist. This is a new punishment that was recently announced by the Dubai Police.
According to Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police for Operations, Major General Mohamed Saif Al Zafin, criminal charges will be applied to the motorists who violate traffic laws and endanger lives of other people on the road in the UAE.
Also read: Road Accidents Decreased in UAE but Careless Drivers still Exist
New Jail Penalty for Reckless Drivers in the UAE
Major General Mohamed Saif Al Zafin revealed that this penalty has been given the go-ahead by the Federal Traffic Council. Any offender will now be immediately detained before he or she is referred to the Federal Traffic Council for prosecution. This new penalty has been added to bring road safety at the center and ensure that motorists are being careful while they drive their vehicle on busy roads.
Head of the Dubai Traffic Prosecution, Counsellor Salah Bufroushah Al-Falasi said that it is necessary to distinguish between committing offences that are ordinary and offences that put the lives of other people under serious threat.
He also added, “Not leaving enough space can create serious confusion, leading to an accident. Sudden and aggressive lane swerving can also be considered as a reckless behavior by the driver.” He also revealed that the jail penalty will only be imposed on the driver if the reckless behavior is proved to be a danger to the lives of other people.
The Need for This New Penalty
Safe driving is very important, especially when there is a lot of traffic on the already busy roads. According to the recent report by the Ministry of Interior in the UAE, two people die because of road accidents every day in the UAE. This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed and the authorities are taking the necessary steps to make the roads as safe as possible for everyone.
Although the overall number of traffic accidents have decreased in the UAE, the rate of traffic accident casualties has increased by 7.4%. With proper road safety and careful driving, this percentage can be decreased.
22 cases of reckless driving were referred to the court for endangering lives of others in the first quarter of the year 2017. All of these cases were charged according to the Penal Court and not by the Traffic Law. If motorists make a conscious effort to drive carefully, many lives can be saved and less black points and penalties will be issued to the motorists.
Important Initiatives by Authorities to Improve Road Safety in Dubai
The Government of the UAE recently held a workshop where they shared some road safety tips that every motorist should consider for his/her safety and the safety of other people on the road. With such workshops and many other such initiatives, the authorities are putting their ultimate emphasis on maintaining maximum road safety for motorists all across the UAE.
Other than that, installing advanced monitoring and surveillance systems all over the UAE is also part of the road safety initiatives of the Government. The traffic authorities have become more vigilant as a result and escaping a traffic violation is almost second to impossible now for the motorists.
Road safety is a joint effort that must be taken seriously by the motorists in the UAE or else they might have to face jail time if they are not careful about how they drive or if they endanger the lives of other people on the roads.
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