Sharjah: Newly released statistics compiled from Sharjah Police blotters in 2015 reveal thousands of motorists had little or no regard for public safety as they sped dangerously through heavy traffic putting lives of other motorists in jeopardy.
Case in point, police confirmed on Sunday that they logged 3,560 reckless driving violations by motorists leading to the same number of vehicle seizures in which cars were impounded by authorities for up to 30 days.
Of the total 3,560 violations, fines of up to Dh2,000 were issued by officers for “driving at dangerous speeds” in excess of 180km/h.
Those caught speeding over 200km/h numbered 658.
The highest speed recorded on Emirates Road was a vehicle clocked at a mind-bending 268km/h.
Speeding at such high rates automatically means 12 black points on a driver’s licence.
Police seized a further 8,104 cars for engine modifications that caused noise in residential areas and could have led to fatal accidents, police said.
Colonel Shawaf Mohammad Abdul Rahman, Director-General of the Traffic and Patrols, said that a number of horrific accidents were recorded in 2015 as a result of speeding with some drivers meeting a fiery end trapped in the gnarled wreckage of their burning vehicles.
Col Abdul Rahman said despite police warnings about the dangers of speeding, drivers repeated the violations and lost their lives.
“The traffic control cameras, which are installed across Sharjah roads, operate with state-of-the-art technology and high efficiency. Any motorist who is driving over the speed limit of the road 60km/h will be fined Dh1,000 and given 12 black points and their vehicles impounded for a period of 30 days,” he said.
Col Abdul Rahman said 57 new cameras were installed at traffic intersections to catch motorists who are speeding and jumping red lights.
He called on motorists to improve their behaviour on the road.
Colonel Arif Al Sherif, Deputy of Sharjah Police central operations, said police doubled efforts to reduce accidents by launching a safety campaign in 2015.
Major Abdul Rahman Khatr, Director of Traffic Awareness and Media Section of Sharjah Police, said ‘Give Road its Right” focused on slowing drivers down was part of the 19 awareness campaigns launched in Sharjah with 257,554 brochures distributed to motorists.
Maj Khatr urged families to observe their children and their behaviour on roads and to advise them that high rates of speed can kill.
By the numbers
- Speeding violations in 2015
- Speeding more than 180km/h: 3,560
- Speeding at 200km/h: 658
- Highest speed recorded at Emirates Road/Sharjah: 268km/h
Driving Recklessly fine
- Dh2000, impound vehicle for 30 day and 12 black points
- Fine for driving in a manner that poses dangers to others’ lives
- Dh1000, impound vehicle for 30 days and 12 black points
Speeding fines
- Exceed speed limit by 60km/h: Dh1000, impound vehicle for 30 days and 12 black points
Fine for modified vehicles
- Dh500, impound vehicle for 30 days
Source: Sharjah Police
