UAE | Traffic and Transport

Mobiles to record traffic offences

Police will issue traffic fines electronically by using mobile phones for the first time in the region, a senior police official said. The system includes issuing on-the-spot fines and abscentia fines.

  • By Alia Al Theeb, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:00 February 22, 2007
  • Gulf News

  • Police will use the high-tech devices to film vehicles and send fines through SMS. This illustration shows some of the features of the new system.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News

Dubai: Police will issue traffic fines electronically by using mobile phones for the first time in the region, a senior police official said yesterday.

Traffic policemen and officers will be able to issue traffic fines by taking a still picture or a video of the offending vehicles. The system includes issuing on-the-spot fines and abscentia fines.

Brigadier Eisa Aman, yesterday announced that traffic fines will henceforth be issued by mobile phones as well as manually.

The Deputy Director of Dubai Police's Traffic Department, said the new system sends information that includes the time of the offence, the kind of offence and the fine amount to the traffic department's system.

The system then adds the fine to the personal traffic file of the offender after checking the accuracy of the information. It also sends information to the offender on the offence they have committed via an SMS to their mobile phone or an e-mail.

"The new system provides easy usage for traffic police, as it saves the time and effort of police as well as the offender, as the chance of a traffic fine put on a car's windshield flying away or getting lost is avoided," Brigadier Aman said.

Dubai Police's Electronic Services Department developed the programme over the last five months to make it usable on mobile phones that have cameras.

Colonel Ahmad Bin Dalmook, director of the department, said the traffic policeman or the officer may send the fine in two ways, by sending the offending vehicle's picture directly or by taking the picture and also filling in the vehicle's information such as its plate number, its code, its category and source.

"Dubai Police is keen on keeping up with the developments in the technology field and mobile phones today are widely available. This system will make it easy for police to issue fines and record the offence. It also provides evidence in case a motorist objects to an offence," he said.

The move comes under the directions of Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police to use the latest technology in the security field.



Your comments


Excellent, people will immediately know the fines. It is a great achievement.
Mohammd
Abu Dhabi,UAE

This is one of the best ideas to put the offenders straight. Hope this helps for a healthy driving.
Nalini
Dubai,UAE

It's a nice move, this will work out alot.
Farrukh
Dubai,UAE

There should be a facility for public to send SMS to the police to notify the offence and police can action them. Thanks
Rakesh
Dubai,UAE

If somebody doesn't have a picture message facility, how will they read the fine?
Senthil
Duabi,UAE

I doubt if it will work. Using mobile phones to picture traffic violators is an awkward one. How can an officer stand long hours of waiting with his mobile phone on his hand for violations to appear? If he will going to use a stand or tripod for mobile phone then it will limit him to capture on one direction only. One more thing mobile cameras are not designed for capturing moving subjects especially speeding cars.
Mike
Dubai,UAE

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