Car owners in Dubai warned against lending their vehicles to unlicensed drivers

Dubai: Dubai Public Prosecution has warned vehicle owners against lending their vehicles to unlicensed drivers, such as underaged children, as this will land them in legal problems and heavy fines.

“Allowing an unlicensed driver to drive your car is punishable under traffic laws. Unlicensed drivers endanger their as well as others’ lives,” prosecution told Gulf News.

In a recent incident revealed by prosecution, a driver, who was a minor, caused a traffic accident while driving his father’s car without the latter’s knowledge. He was driving the vehicle in the opposite direction to the flow of traffic and rammed into a vehicle carrying a family of four, which resulted in injuries.

According to prosecution, the youngster used to drive his father’s vehicle on the sly in the afternoon while his father would be taking a nap. Prosecution said the father knew that his son used to drive his vehicle while he would be sleeping and had punished him several times by confiscating his mobile phone and banning him from playing online games. Yet, the son still managed to drive off on the sly.

During the summer break, the son used to take the car out with his youngest brother for a spin and the father apparently pretended that he had not noticed them just because he wanted to ensure he had a peaceful nap away from his children screaming and playing.

Prosecution said that on the day of the accident, the father woke up with the news that his son had crashed his car into another vehicle.

Implementing toughest punishment

Dubai Traffic Prosecution questioned the father and the son for driving the car without a licence and endangering the lives of other road users. They have both been referred to Dubai Traffic Court, with a plea to implement the toughest punishment against them.

Prosecution has warned that lending one’s car to unlicensed drivers is punishable by law and that there is a possibility of launching a civil case against the car owner for compensation if the unlicensed driver causes an accident resulting in fatalities.

Regardless of whose vehicle one is driving, it is imperative to have a driving licence that is accepted in the UAE, explained Dubai Public Prosecution.

What the law says:

Article 51 of UAE traffic law stipulates that a person who drives a vehicle without a driving licence, or drives a vehicle that he or she is not licensed to drive, is liable to be jailed for up to three months or fined up to Dh5,000 or both.