Dubai: Traffic authorities in the UAE are proposing to link traffic systems to collect fines across GCC countries by next year, Gulf News has learnt.
The UAE is losing out on millions of dirhams in fines each year as thousands of motorists entering the UAE from neighbouring GCC countries violate traffic rules and leave the country without paying fines.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai, which loses a huge amount in uncollected fines every year, has taken up the issue with the Ministry of Interior and proposed linking the traffic systems of the six countries in the union.
The move comes following a huge surge in the number of vehicles from neighbouring countries entering the UAE borders over the last couple of years.
“When you go to any country you need to respect the law of the land, including its traffic rules. It is true that a lot of people are unaware of a few things like Salik, but many people are just careless, which is compromising safety of other road users while also leading to millions in dirhams of unpaid fines,” said Ahmad Hashem Behroozian, CEO of RTA’s Licensing Agency, who is part of the committee that is coordinating with the ministry on the matter.
He said RTA is proposing a three-pronged process to tackle the situation that if left unchecked could lead to graver consequences.
“We are trying to tackle the issue at different levels. Through the ministry we are taking up the issue with the authorities of different countries, we will raise awareness through different mediums to educate the motorists who are entering the country and, most importantly, we will help set up an e-link to share information with GCC countries while also implementing a fine collection mechanism,” said Behroozian, detailing the steps that are being taken.
Currently, the mechanism in place to share the data of violators is through the monthly exchange of CDs which are sent by post by the ministries of interior of different countries. Though the information is passed, the process hasn’t had the desired result in collecting fines.
“From our part, we are making sure all the information we receive from the GCC countries is uploaded in the system and fines collected are sent to respective countries regularly, but we haven’t received a similar response from the other countries that is why we took it up with the ministry,” he added.
He acknowledged that the biggest number of visitors are from neighbouring Saudi Arabia, which also happens to have the biggest number of violators.
He said work has already begun to link the systems at a basic level, which will allow sharing of information about violations from early next year, while the effective process of collection is also being worked out.
RTA is more keen on implementing the system as apart from traffic fines the authority has to work out ways to collect Salik and parking fines which are not considered ‘traffic fines.’
“For RTA it is a different situation. Salik and parking are not considered traffic fines, and the authorities from the countries that we are dealing with are responsible for traffic fines only. So we have proposed to MoI to link Salik and parking to the Federal traffic link,” he stated.
However, when it comes to implementation it could be easier said than done, as some of the provinces in Saudi Arabia do not even have an electronic system and to get connected with these provinces will not be easy.
Behroozian said that’s the reason RTA is weighing different options, one of them could be to collect the fines before the vehicles leave the border, which is being implemented by some countries.
The matter, among other issues, was taken up by Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of RTA, in a recent meeting with Lt Gen Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, Undersecretary at the ministry.
The meeting was also attended by the Director General of Traffic Coordination at the ministry,Brigadier Gaith Hassan Al Zaabi, CEO of Licensing Agency Ahmad Hashem Behroozian, and Director of Drivers Licensing at RTA Sultan Al Marzouki.
