Motorists warned against driving under the influence

Dubai: Traffic authorities have sent out a strict warning against motorists who drive their vehicles under the influence of alcohol as they will face imprisonment and their licences will be revoked.

The stringent warning surfaced at the Dubai Traffic Court of First Instance when judge Hamdi Abu Al Khair found 33-year-old British national, S.J., guilty of driving recklessly and under the influence of liquor which he had consumed without a permit.

The Briton who was caught with more than 118 mg/dl of liquor in his blood will spend one month in jail and his drivers' licence will be revoked for two months.

The Traffic Public Prosecution charged S.J. with driving recklessly and under the influence of alcohol, illegal consuming liquor, causing an accident which damaged his car and someone else's vehicle, failing to show his licence and registration to the traffic police.

Judge Abu Al Khair also fined him Dh2,200. Traffic police said the accused had a car crash on Al Mina road at noon. He lost control over his steering wheel when his vehicle swerved to the right side and hit another car.

In a similar case, a UAE national was also sentenced to six months in jail and his drivers' licence was revoked for more than two months after he was found guilty of drunken and reckless driving.