Errant drivers: Back to school

Dubai Erring motorists in Dubai will be sent back to driving school, warn Dubai Police.

Lieutenant Colonel Saif Al Mazroui, Acting Deputy Director of the Dubai Police Traffic Department, told XPRESS that motorists should not be surprised if they find themselves without driving licences as the new traffic system will send erring motorists back to driving schools.

The department reported a staggering 939,000 offences in the emirate in the first four months of 2008.

Al Mazroui said the new black points system and heavy fines (part of the new UAE traffic law which came into effect on March 1) are expected to force motorists to comply with traffic regulations.

He added that the driving licences of frequent violators who have accumulated 24 black points will be suspended. The system also has provisions to confiscate the vehicles of errant drivers.

During the January-April period, the number of traffic violations amounted to almost half of traffic offences reported by Dubai Police in 2007 which reached 2,390,004.

"Speeding topped the list of offences with almost 500,000 cases," said Al Mazroui.

Other traffic offences included lane violation by light vehicles, reckless driving, parking on pavements, driving on the hard shoulder, entering a road dangerously and jumping red signals.

939,000

The number of traffic violations reported in dubai in the first four months of 2008