Sharjah: Twenty-six vehicles were confiscated and 268 traffic fines issued in a traffic campaign on Madam-Al Nazwa and Nazwa — Quta roads in the emirate to curb disruptive driving practices, said Colonel Ahmad Bin Darwish, director of Sharjah’s Central Region.
“[Motorists] were organising illegal rallies and performing stunts on roads, causing chaos and panic among other motorists,” Col Bin Darwish said.
“Confiscated vehicles included cars whose engines [were modified] to make loud noises,” he said.
The campaign was launched during the weekend [October 6-7] after radars on the roads recorded 64 speed violations in a matter of a few hours.
Col Bin Darwish said the violations included reckless driving, modified vehicles, driving with expired registration, driving without a licence and driving with expired insurance.
The campaign will cover other roads, especially Maleiha Road, where a number of speeding accidents have occurred, he said.
“[Vehicle] modifications cause a disturbance to residents and also pose a safety hazard to motorists,” said Col Bin Darwish.
He said the police had also received complaints from the public, especially about teenagers using noisy vehicles.
“We have to take strict measures against them to deter others from similar behaviour,” he added.
Meanwhile, there has been a drop in the number of serious accident injuries during the nine months of this year, according to statistics released by Sharjah Police — 445 injuries this year compared with 539 in the same period of 2015.
Statistics showed these accidents occurred due to speeding by drivers in the 18-30 age group.
Lieutenant Colonel Dr Ahmad Saeed Al Naour, acting director of the Traffic and Patrol Department, said high-speed driving is the main cause of fatal accidents, most of which occurred on Al Dhaid Road, Maleiha Road, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road, in addition to other interior roads.
Sharjah Police held 14 traffic awareness campaigns during the past nine months to educate motorists on road safety, which Lt Col Al Naour said is a shared responsibility between the authorities and the public.
