Dh500 fee designed to halt errant drivers

Abu Dhabi: The introduction of a Dh500 charge for traffic violations is expected to reduce the the number of minor accidents.

"This is a very good move. It will make people be more careful when they are on the road," said Fareed Lutfi, Secretary General of Emirates Insurance Association.

Abu Dhabi police announced this month that by the end of the year motorists will pay Dh500 to make use of the services of Saaed, a company delegated to handle accidents that do not involve injuries. Some 95,000 minor accidents occurred in the capital last year.

"Similar systems are in place in many parts of the world and they help free the emergency services to focus on serious accidents in an efficient manner," Lutfi added.

"The decision to charge errant motorists will not only reduce accidents but also make work hassle-free for us," said an insurance company official who requested not to be named.

"For very small accidents and negligible ones people will think about settling it among themselves instead of reporting the accident, paying the charge and getting the insurance to do the repairs."

Insurance companies will also benefit from a new integrated system in which by they will be automatically notified at real time whenever an accident happens.

Authorities who handle an accident (the police or Saaed depending on the severity) will instantly transfer details, including photos and reconstruction reports, from the scene to a data system.

While motorists who cause the accident will pay the charge, they will have to pay no additional fees to insurance companies.