Dubai: Motorcyclist dies after car suddenly stops on road without justification

Dubai: A motorist who stopped in the middle of a Dubai road without securing his vehicle’s load has been convicted after a crash that killed a motorcyclist, with the court ordering him to pay Dh80,000 in blood money to the victim’s family.

The Dubai Traffic Court found the Asian driver primarily responsible for the fatal accident, ruling that his failure to take necessary precautions, ensure road safety and secure the cargo on his vehicle directly led to the collision.

According to Emarat Al Youm, the incident occurred when the driver halted his vehicle after part of the load fell onto the road. Instead of taking adequate safety measures, he left the vehicle in a hazardous position. 

Moments later, a motorcycle travelling behind struck the vehicle from the rear, leaving the rider with severe injuries that led to his death.

In its judgment, the court said the driver had not exercised the required care and attention expected under UAE traffic law. The ruling was based on his confession during the public prosecution investigation, official accident reports, a technical analysis of the crash and the victim’s death certificate.

The defendant admitted the charge, stating that he had pulled over after noticing the cargo had fallen. He got out to retrieve it when the motorcycle hit his vehicle. He argued that both parties shared responsibility for the accident.

Police investigators who prepared the crash report testified that responsibility was indeed divided. They said the driver had failed to secure the load and ensure road safety, while the motorcyclist had shown negligence and a lack of attention while driving.

However, the technical committee concluded that the driver bore primary responsibility for the incident because he did not follow legal procedures when stopping and failed to secure the cargo. The victim, the court said, also contributed to the accident by not paying sufficient attention.

The judges ruled that the death was a direct consequence of the defendant’s actions, establishing his criminal liability. Taking into account the victim’s partial contribution to the crash, the court ordered the defendant to pay Dh80,000 in blood money to the victim’s heirs.