Abu Dhabi Police has recorded a surge in road accidents caused by underage drivers during the first half of 2018. Underage drivers are not allowed to drive on Abu Dhabi roads and a breach of this law can be treated under the Juvenile Delinquents Law of the UAE. In view of the increase in dangerous road accidents from January to June, authorities have issued a strict warning against parents who allow their underage children to drive their cars or motorbikes.
The risk of a dangerous accident increases considerably if there are one or more underage motorists on the road as they can lose their composure in a difficult driving situation, which can potentially have fatal consequences. The recent traffic stats revealed by Abu Dhabi Police highlight how underage motorists continued to deteriorate the road safety situation during the first six months of 2018.
Details of Traffic Stats Released by Authorities
According to Abu Dhabi Police, as many as 17 road accidents involving underage drivers were recorded during the first six months of 2018 in the emirate. Authorities arrested 342 underage drivers and summoned their parents for allowing their children to get behind the wheel without a driving license. Out of these 342 underage drivers, 86 repeat offenders were transferred to family prosecution for further legal actions. The parents of the remaining 256 offenders were summoned and asked to sign the pledge that they will not allow their underage children to drive again. These 256 teenagers had committed this offence for the first time and hence, were released with a strict warning of not repeating their offence.
Also read: Road Safety Stats for the First Four Months of 2018 Revealed by Abu Dhabi Police
Official Statement about not Allowing Underage Children to Drive
Authorities in Abu Dhabi have always maintained a tough stance against parents who allow their underage children to drive without a driving license. Brigadier Khalifa Mohammad Al Khaili, Director of Traffic and Patrols Department at Abu Dhabi Police advised parents to monitor the whereabouts of their children and stop them from driving a vehicle before obtaining a driving license. He stressed that instances of dangerous road accidents involving underage drivers increase during summer holidays, which threatens the road safety situation seriously. He mentioned that lack of family supervision allows underage drivers to get behind the wheel, therefore, it is important for parents to be more careful and aware of the activities of their children.
#شرطة_أبوظبي تضبط 342 حدثاً لقيادة مركبات بدون رخصة وتحول 86 منهم لنيابة الأسرة. pic.twitter.com/Guvb8uuXu5
— شرطة أبوظبي (@ADPoliceHQ) 14. Juli 2018
Also read: The Leading Cause of Road Deaths in the UAE Revealed
Why should Underage Drivers not be allowed to Drive?
Both parents and underage drivers can face legal actions according to the traffic law of the UAE. This is the first thing that should discourage parents from allowing their underage children to drive on Abu Dhabi roads. Secondly, apart from threatening the overall road safety situation, it threatens the safety of teenagers the most when they take to the road without having any prior experience of driving in challenging road and weather conditions of the UAE.
The Driving License Acquisition Programme in the UAE prepares drivers for challenging situations that they can face on roads and without getting this training, a driver can make serious driving mistakes that can easily result in a fatal road accident. This is why parents should always keep an eye on their children and discourage them from driving before obtaining a driving license. It is important to note that the legal driving age in the UAE is 18 years, however teenagers can start their driving training from the age of 17 years and six months.
Also read: Safe Driving Tips for Young Drivers in the UAE
Bottom-line
Dangerous road accidents involving young drivers were on a rise during the first six months of 2018, which continued to escalate the traffic problems of the emirate. It is the responsibility of parents to make sure that they don’t allow their underage children to get behind the wheel before they obtain a driving license. Parents need to be more careful during the summer break of schools and monitor the whereabouts of their children more effectively so that dangerous road accidents involving underage drivers can be avoided during the second half of 2018.
If you are planning 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.
