Abu Dhabi: Violators beware — your recklessness will not go undetected and unpunished. Two vehicles were caught last week excessively speeding, putting Abu Dhabi roads and residents in danger.
The radar caught a car speeding at 252 kilometres per hour while the other was travelling at a speed of 244km/h.
"The two vehicles were impounded. Such a dangerous violation is punishable by a fine that can reach Dh2,000 in addition to 12 black points and a confiscation of the vehicle for a month," said Major Mohsin Al Manhali, Head of the Highways and Roads Section of the Abu Dhabi Police Traffic and Patrols Department.
Major Al Manhali called on people to refrain from reckless driving, respect the speed limit, be attentive and comply with traffic regulations for their safety and the well-being of society.
A network of sophisticated radars monitor the streets of Abu Dhabi. To give an example of the speeding problem in the capital, Major Al Manhali said the mobile radar "sniper" recorded 3,389 speeding violations on the highways from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, Al Ain and Tarif in one month last June.
"Speed is a major contributor to car accidents. The speed limit on the highways from Al Ghuwaifat to Dubai is 140km/h and 80km/h for trucks," Al Manhali said.
Travellers needed to take care and anticipate unexpected road and traffic conditions and leave enough space between vehicles, he added.
"Adhering to the speed limit will spare society a significant amount of accidents," he said.
Traffic accidents caused 263 deaths in 2011, while 1,829 accidents led to injuries and 327 cars flipping over.
Under the theme "Don't end your life with a car crash", Major Al Manhali urged all motorists to abide by traffic regulations, ensure their vehicles are safe to drive, and comply with recommended air pressure for tyres as this changes when driving long distances in hot weather — increasing the likelihood of a blowout.
Awareness campaigns
Brigadier Hussain Al Harthi, Director of Abu Dhabi Traffic and Patrol Department at Abu Dhabi Police, said that speeding, sudden swerving, reckless driving, inattention, not leaving enough space between vehicles and burst tyres were the major reasons behind road accidents in Abu Dhabi.
"Eleven awareness campaigns took place in the past nine months that included 153 lectures on safety practices. Abu Dhabi Police broke the record for the largest awareness lecture in the world and qualified for the Guinness world record," he added.
"Abu Dhabi Police is paying visits to families and directly advising motorists on safe driving and mothers on how to safely handle children in cars," Brigadier Al Harthi added.
