DUBAI: Dubai police have revealed that 211 people lost their lives in traffic accidents in the emirate during the first nine months of this year.
Traffic accidents are the second biggest killer in the emirate after cardiovascular diseases. The UAE has one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the world and the concerned authorities have been fighting a losing battle to cut down on road deaths.
A constant rise in the number of road fatalities prompted the authorities to amend the federal traffic law which now imposes hefty penalties and black points on driving licenses. The authorities hope that the new law, which took effect in March this year, will force motorists to be more careful on the roads, as more than 86 percent of road accidents are the result of human error.
Speaking to the press during the launch of two-week campaign to arrest errant drivers, Brig. Mohammad Saif Al-Zafein, director of the General Department of Traffic, said Dubai police would impound on the spot vehicles of motorists driving at 60 percent above speed limits.
Brig. Al-Zafein said the campaign would focus on Shaikh Zayed Road, one of the deadliest in the emirate. After that the crackdown will focus on other roads in Dubai to catch and fine motorists who speed, not leave safe distances between vehicles and overtake other vehicles dangerously.
“We will also fine those who zigzag through the lanes as this is a dangerous habit which leads to accidents,” he said. Slow coaches, as they are known, or motorists who drive slowly on the fast lane are also going to be fined.
Brig. Al-Zafin revealed that 19,260 tickets were issued during the last nine months for not leaving enough space between vehicles, while 17,625 tickets were issued for reckless driving and 714 tickets for dangerous driving.
