Reckless motorists in Dubai continue to put the road safety of commuters under serious threat as 76 people lost their lives due to reckless and dangerous traffic violations in the first half of 2017. According to the official figures, 61% of the road deaths in Dubai were caused by three major violations that proved to be deadly. Out of 76 road deaths recorded, 47 of them were caused by these three dangerous traffic violations.
3 Deadliest Traffic Violations
According to Dubai Police, three most dangerous violations in the first six months of 2017 were tailgating, distracted driving and sudden swerving. Motorists have committed these violations repeatedly and compromised the safety and wellbeing of other commuters on the road.
Major General Saif Al-Zafin, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police (Operations Department) revealed the figures for road deaths caused by these three dangerous violations recorded in the first half of 2017.
According to him:
- Tailgating caused 316 accidents in which 19 people lost their lives.
- Failure to focus on the road while driving resulted in 19 deaths and 155 injuries.
- Sudden swerving on the road caused 9 deaths and left 228 injured.
Though the number of road deaths has decreased from 112 to 76 while comparing the first half of 2017 to the first half of 2016, the reckless behavior of motorists is still a cause of concern for traffic authorities. For last few years, tailgating, lane swerving and distracted driving have been among the most dangerous traffic violations as per the records of Dubai Police. In order to discourage motorists from committing dangerous violations, traffic authorities have introduced tougher penalties for offenders in the recently amended traffic law, which was implemented in the UAE on July 1, 2017.
Penalties for Dangerous Traffic Violations in Dubai
According to the new law, the penalties for tailgating include a fine of AED 400 and four black points against the driving license of the offender. Motorists will face a fine of AED 800 and four black points for distracted driving (using mobile phone while driving or any other distraction). Motorists can also be booked for endangering the lives of other commuters and can face heavy penalties including a fine of AED 2,000, 23 black points against the driving license and confiscation of the vehicle for 90 days. Sudden lane swerving has a fine of AED 1,000 along with four black points against the driver’s license.
Also read: White Point System to be implemented across the UAE
How to Avoid Dangerous Traffic Violations in the UAE
Motorists must be careful and proactive in their approach in order to avoid dangerous driving mistakes that can lead to fatal consequences. By bringing a positive change to their mindset, motorists can play an active role in making the roads in Dubai safer for themselves and other commuters.
A Careful Driving Approach
By being careful, it means that motorists should make an effort to understand and obey the traffic rules so that they can avoid unintentional driving mistakes that can lead to a dangerous road accident. It also involves driving with full attention on the road, respecting the speed limits and being patient in a traffic jam situation as the frustration of being stuck in traffic for long can result in panicked driving, which can be seriously dangerous.
A Proactive Driving Approach
While being careful can help you avoid dangerous situations on road, a technology-assisted proactive approach can keep you from being involved in a difficult driving situation. This approach urges the motorists to buy safe cars that are equipped with advanced safety features whenever they make their mind to upgrade their existing vehicle or think about buying a new one. Safety features in a car such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear View Camera, Forward Collision Control, Emergency Brake Assist and many others can make drivers more aware, attentive and safe while driving and can help them avoid unintentional dangerous traffic violations.
Being proactive in one’s approach also means to use navigation apps such as Google Maps in order to avoid traffic jams. Google Maps shows the roads that are crowded with traffic and options for other possible routes with less traffic. It can also be ideal to stay updated with the latest weather information to avoid driving in heavy rains, a possible sandstorm or other extreme weather conditions.
Also read: A Motorist’s Guide to Use “Google Maps” like a Pro
Bottom-line
According to a survey conducted in 2016, it was revealed that frustration caused by traffic jams was one of the major reasons behind panicked driving, which resulted in dangerous road accidents. By using apps such as the Google Maps for navigational help, this problem can be resolved and hence road safety can improve by being more aware of traffic congestions on a particular route. Being considerate towards other commuters, especially in challenging driving conditions such as driving in bad weather or when stuck in a traffic jam is important as this is when most of the motorists commit serious mistakes and put their own safety and the safety of other commuters at stake. Road safety is a subject that demands equal attention of all stakeholders in order to make commuting safe for all motorists.
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