Dubai: The number of traffic incidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol in 2012 was 296 compared to 327 in 2011, a top police official has said.

Colonel Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Deputy Director of Dubai Police’s traffic department told Gulf news that the number of traffic incidents caused by drunk drivers reduced by 31 in 2012.

He attributed the drop to tough penalties by police, the public prosecution and the courts.

Col Al Mazroui said the death toll due to drink driving in 2011 was 15 compared to four killed in 2012.

He said in 2011 out of 92 people injured in drink driving traffic incidents seven were severely injured, 20 sustained moderate injures and 50 sustained minor injures.

“[Out of] a total of 577 cars involved in drink driving incidents in 2011, 81 drink driving traffic incidents took place during the day and 246 during the night,” he said.

He said 58 cases in which there were injured people involved were referred to court and in 269 cases there were no injuries but the cases were referred to the court.

Col Al Mazroui said 56 drivers were injured in drink driving incidents, 33 passengers and three pedestrians.

According to Coll Al Mazroui, in 2012 the number of drink driving traffic incidents was 296 in which four people were killed.

He said 60 cases were referred to the court in which there were injured people involved and 236 drink driving cases referred to the court with no injured people involved.

He said 217 drink driving incidents took place at night and 79 during the day in which 521 cars were involved and the total number of injured was 98 with four deaths, four severely injured, 27 with sustained moderate injures and 63 with minor injures, while 52 drivers, 39 passengers and seven pedestrians were injured.

He said motorists who kill someone in a traffic incident have to pay blood money and in drink driving cases insurance will not cover such incidents. The driver will be jailed until the Dh200,000 blood money is paid.

He said people caught driving under the influence of alcohol in Dubai will get 24 black points, the maximum limit that means suspension of the driving licence for three months.

Col Al Mazroui said the intensified traffic police patrols and awareness campaigns by the traffic department helped reduce the number of drink driving incidents on Dubai’s roads.

He said more police patrols have been deployed near hotels to monitor people suspected of having consumed alcohol and advise them not to drive their cars.

He said motorists suspected of driving their cars under the influence of alcohol are tested on the spot and their vehicles are seized if they are found to have alcohol in their blood, adding that no limit for alcohol in people’s blood is set under the UAE’s new federal traffic law.

He said the drivers may pay a fine that could exceed Dh20,000 and face a jail term.