Dubai: Speed guns will be used to check motorists violating the minimum speed limit, especially on highways, Gulf News has learnt.
There have been no checks on violators of the minimum speed limit since the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) introduced the rule in May this year. Radars and cameras on Dubai roads only click for speeding vehicles. So far not a single motorist has been fined for not maintaining the minimum speed limit.
The Roads and Transport Authority has introduced a minimum speed limit of 60km per hour for motorists driving on roads with a maximum speed limit of 100km per hour and above. The RTA has recommended Dubai Police use speed guns to issue fines to violators, a senior official told Gulf News.
An official at the RTA said there have been some issues in allowing the use of speed guns but these will be resolved soon.
However, the official said that he could not tell when the use of speed guns will start. "But it is going to happen soon because it is the only tool to check violators of the minimum speed limit," he said.
He said action against slow drivers would be taken only if the motorist hinders the flow of traffic.
If a policeman notices that a driver is driving below the speed limit on a road with a smooth flow of traffic there would be no penalties. But if the motorist slows down traffic then he will face penalties.
The RTA said the decision to introduce a minimum speed of 60 km/h on roads with a maximum speed limit of 100km/h and above has been taken after studying the best practices in developed countries.
Introducing a minimum speed does not mean that a motorist has to drive at 60km/h; rather it says that a motorist should drive at a speed (above 60km/h) to keep with the traffic flow within the given minimum and maximum speed limits depending on the traffic situation.
The decision is aimed at motorists who drive too slow and cause risks to themselves and other road users.
The RTA statistics reveals that some 80 per cent of road deaths were related to speeding issues. About 240 out of 312 people who died last year were involved in accidents directly or indirectly related to speed limits.
New radars
Meanwhile, six new radars have been installed on Emirates Road to control speeds on the highway linking the emirates of the country, Dubai Police has announced.
Captain Saeed Mubarak Al Sabousi, Acting Director of the Radar Section at Dubai Police's Traffic Department, said permanent radars were installed to ensure maximum safety of motorists using the road, in coordination with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Captain Al Sabousi said the installations are in line with the increase in number of lanes on both directions of the Emirates Ring Road, and because of the high speeds at which motorists have been driving on the road. He also pointed out that a majority of the accidents on the road were caused by speeding and reckless driving.
Your comments
This means everyone coming from Sharjah to Dubai from 7:00 am till 12:00 pm, and those going to Sharjah from Dubai from 4:00 pm till 8:00 pm will be penalized since they'll be forced to drive bumper to bumper.
Karkain
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 16, 2007, 08:14
I think it's a good idea to set a minimum speed limit. Such drivers should be fined as well those who speed since they can be road hazards.
Mahmoud
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: September 16, 2007, 00:27
