Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi police traffic department has slashed all traffic fines issued in the emirate by 50 per cent, officials announced on Tuesday.
Motorists in the Abu Dhabi emirate, inclusive of Al Ain and Gharbia (Western region), will need to pay only half of what they owe in fines to the department. This applies to both fines they may have accumulated over the years as well as fresh fines.
The reprieve comes after the amended traffic law, which stipulates hefty fines for traffic offences, left many motorists heavily indebted to the government, a senior traffic official disclosed.
Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, issued a ministerial decree to implement the reduction.
"For now, all motorists will enjoy the reduced fines but soon we will decide who should be given the reprieve based on the traffic record of the driver," Colonel Engineer Ahmad Hussain Al Harthy, Director of Abu Dhabi Police Traffic and Patrols department, told Gulf News.
He said that review measures will soon be put in place to ensure offenders do not go back to reckless ways. The decision has already taken effect since the past three days, although the official announcement was made only Tuesday.
After news spread about the decision, the traffic department was being thronged by thousands for renewal of vehicle registrations.
