Dubai: Radars on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road caught a driver exceeding the speed limit five times consecutively after the maximum limit was reduced to 110kph from 120kph, Dubai Police said.

The driver, an Arab, approached police complaining about the five speed tickets he was issued saying he was not aware of the speed limit reduction that came into effect on October 15 on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed and Emirates roads.

Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, director of the Traffic Department at Dubai Police, said many drivers approached his department after being caught by radars after October 15.

“The Arab motorist works in Abu Dhabi and uses Mohammad Bin Zayed Road everyday. He was surprised at the five consecutive fines he accrued from different radars. He was not aware [of the new speed limit] as he does not follow the media or social media and didn’t notice the speed signs,” Brigadier Al Mazroui said.

He stressed that the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Police have ensured that news about the reduced speed limit was spread through conventional media and social media and even through the signs on the two roads.

“It is not acceptable for a driver to complain that he didn’t know about the new speed limit. We will not waive the fines as it’s the driver’s responsibility to keep abreast of the change in speed limits,” he added.

Brigadier Al Mazroui said, however, that there would be some increase in speed violations during the initial days till such time as drivers realise the new speed limit.

The number of fines on the first two days following the speed limit reduction increased by 70 per cent on the two highways, he informed.

“We issued 4,393 fines [for exceeding the speed limit] on the two roads in two days — 1,707 fines on Emirates Road and 2,686 fines on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road — because many drivers kept driving as per the former speed limit,” Brigadier Al Mazroui said.

He said the decision to reduce the speed limit was taken after an intensive study, conducted along with RTA officials, about the traffic accidents on the two roads.

“It was hard to ban trucks on the two roads even though many accidents involved trucks, so we decided to reduce the speed limit,” he added.