Dubai: Driving under the influence of fatigue is an act punishable by law, warned Dubai’s top traffic prosecutor in light of fining an exhausted driver Dh10,500 for involving in an accident.
The Dubai Traffic Misdemeanour Court convicted the 28-year-old Gulf national of driving his car while he was exhausted and sleepy before he ran into a signboard then destroyed stretches of a green area.
“The defendant was fined Dh10,500. What he did is an act punishable by law. It is a crime to sit behind a steering while you are fatigued or feeling sleepy and not in a good and attentive shape to drive. The law is very clear and strongly prohibits a driver, who feels tired, sleepy or mentally exhausted or distracted, from driving,” Senior Chief Prosecutor Salah Bu Farousha, Head of Traffic Public Prosecution (TPP) told Gulf News.
The accident happened in late February when the defendant drove his car while he was very tired and not in a good form to do so.
Traffic prosecutors accused the 28-year-old, who is an employee, of driving his car under the influence of fatigue, destroying a signboard and a stretch of green area and running away from the accident site in Al Badeya Area.
Bu Farousha told Gulf News that the accident happened around 5am and the defendant reported to the police station around 12pm.
“An eyewitness saw what happened. The 28-year-old claimed that he left the accident site because he was exhausted after he provided the eyewitness with his contact number. However the defendant was charged with running away from the accident site because he failed to report the accident within six hours. Fatigued individuals shouldn’t drive their cars at all… this is dangerous behaviour,” warned Bu Farousha.
Records said the defendant pleaded guilty in court and admitted that he was fatigued when he drove his car and indulged in the accident.
