UAE drivers face harsh new penalties

by Amy Glass on Sunday, 24 February 2008

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/511983-uae-drivers-face-harsh-new-penalties

 

NEW LAWS: Drink-driving motorists face harsher penalties under new UAE federal traffic laws. (Getty Images)

Drink-driving motorists face harsher penalties, including heavy fines and imprisonment, under new UAE federal traffic laws to be introduced on March 1, a traffic official warned on Saturday.

Ghaith Hassan Al Zaabi, director of the Traffic Department at the Ministry of Interior, said motorists who drive under the influence of alcohol will be fined at least 20,000 dirhams ($5,446), and jailed, UAE daily Khaleej Times reported on Sunday.

The length of the prison term was not disclosed by the newspaper.

The same heavy penalty will apply to motorists who leave the scene of an accident, while motorists who drive without a licence face a fine of up to 5,000 dirhams and a prison term of up to three months.

The stricter penalties follow news that 1,053 people were killed in UAE road accidents during 2007, compared to 868 deaths due to accidents in 2006.

Recent figures released by the Ministry of Interior show that there were 6,813 accidents on UAE roads during 2007, resulting in 10,526 injuries.

According to government statistics, one person is injured on the UAE roads every two hours, with one fatal injury every fifteen hours.

Under the amended UAE federal traffic law, people caught driving after being ordered not to, due to prior violations, will have to pay a fine of 5,000 dirhams or serve a three-month jail.

Al Zaabi said people who supply false information to police to avoid traffic charges will be fined up to 5,000 dirhams, or receive a three-month jail term.

The law also states that vehicles must be technically examined and certified upon registration, or renewal of registration.