Dubai: The young motorist who performed dangerous stunts with his vehicle on a wet road in Dubai's City Walk during rain and damaged property will be cleaning Dubai roads for four hours per day for a month as community service.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, ordered the 17-year-old Emirati driver to clean Dubai streets as punishment for his reckless behaviour.
The Dubai Media Office tweeted: “The driver and his companions who were with him in the car during the stunt will perform the community service because of the damage caused by them.
“The stunt was made amid busy traffic in the presence of families and children violating traffic laws and general road etiquette. The reckless behaviour endangered the safety of people and property in the location.”
. @HHShkMohd orders drivers who performed dangerous car stunt to clean #Dubai streets for 4 hours daily for 30 days as community service pic.twitter.com/QXsFoBsbwI
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 23, 2017
Shaikh Mohammad’s order came after Dubai Police arrested the youngster who was performing ‘doughnut’ stunts near shops and restaurants in City Walk on February 17.
Showing off
He was referred to the Juvenile Prosecution after being charged with endangering people’s lives, damaging public property and fleeing the scene.
Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Director of the Traffic Department at Dubai Police, said the driver did not have a driving licence and that he took the car from the family’s driver as his parents were not at home.
Meanwhile, Gulf News has learnt that the teenager told the police during questioning that he did not expect the video of him performing the stunts would go viral on social media.
He told officers that he was with his friends in the area during the rainy weather when his car skidded left and right because of the wet road. He liked it and started performing stunts as his friends encouraged him.
He said he wanted to show off in front of his friends and his car hit traffic signals and jumped over the pavement.
Brig Al Mazroui said: “He is not a professional stunt driver and lost control of the car. When we spoke with him, he claimed that his friends provoked him and he didn’t know it would cause such a big problem to him.”
The video circulated on social media, causing anger among people who demanded his arrest. His vehicle has been seized and he will have to pay Dh100,000 to get it back.
