Dubai: Motorists who jump red lights and cause fatalities could face up to seven years in jail if a proposal to toughen up the UAE’s Traffic Law is introduced.
Amending the traffic law and increasing penalties, specifically against motorists who jump a red light and accidentally kill someone, is the best way to combat what Dubai’s top traffic prosecutor described as “a grave crime that has to be combatted sternly.”
“We have proposed to the Ministry of Interior to amend the Traffic Law by introducing new and specific articles pertaining to fatal accidents caused by jumping a red signal. According to the newly proposed suggestion a motorist who jumps a red light and accidentally kills three or more people could face three to seven years in jail and a Dh30,000 fine. Meanwhile, a motorist who kills one or two people after jumping a red light could face a minimum of a year in jail and a minimum fine of Dh20,000,” Senior Chief Traffic Prosecutor Salah Bu Farousha, Head of Dubai Traffic Public Prosecution, told a media gathering on Tuesday.
Motorists who cause fatal accidents are currently being prosecuted and punished as per the applicable laws that do not specify the cause of death, he said.
Aggravating factor
“The current Penal Law and Traffic Law do not have specific articles that incriminate the act of causing deaths [specifically] after jumping a red light. The currently enforced articles are general pertaining to that crime, which we consider a very serious one. We consider the act of jumping a red light an aggravating factor in cases of fatal accidents. The same punishments are currently being enforced against motorists who cause fatal accidents for whatsoever reason… that is why we highly recommend that the Ministry of Interior introduces articles specifically dealing with accidents resulting from jumping a red light,” said Bu Farousha.
He revealed a long list of statistics recorded by the TPP in the past two years. He said it handled 6,296 cases in 2012 and 6,510 cases in 2013.
“Traffic prosecutors investigated 115 fatal accident cases in 2012 compared to 147 cases in 2013. Amongst those cases 74 of the fatalities were victims in 2012 and 107 were victims in 2013. Meanwhile, 49 suspects who caused the accidents died in 2012 compared to 58 suspects who caused the accidents in 2013,” said the TPP’s Head.
Traffic prosecutors dismissed 44 fatal accident cases in 2012 and 50 cases in 2013 for various reasons, he added.
“The Dubai Traffic Misdemeanour Court handed out prison terms in 15 fatal accident cases during 2012 compared with 29 cases in 2013. Meanwhile the court issued fines in 62 fatal accident cases in 2012 compared to 50 cases in 2013. During the past two years the court suspended the driving licences of 125 defendants who were involved in fatal accident cases. The licences were suspended for periods that varied between three and 12 months. Meanwhile one person was cleared in a fatal accident case during 2013 compared with three in 2012,” said Bu Farousha.
TPP statistics showed that a total of Dh12.3 million was ordered to be paid in blood money in 2012 compared with Dh12.23 million in 2013.
“Legal action could be taken against motorists who pull over or reduce their speed in the middle of a street to watch a minor accident. Members of the public can complain against such hazardous drivers, especially when the life of the complainant is endangered when such motorists stop or reduce their speed suddenly,” said Bu Farousha.