Renew registration or face penalties, Al Zafein warns vehicle owners

Dubai Police have warned vehicle owners who have not renewed their registration that they will face severe penalties and even cancellation of ownership.

Police will hold the owners responsible for not renewing the ownerships that will be cancelled.

Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director of the Dubai Traffic Police Department, revealed that the registration of more than 81,990 cars at Dubai Police has expired, and motorists are driving on the road illegally.

He said their cars could be out of service and owners have not taken any action. This puts legal commitments on the owners.

He asked insurance companies to set up a mechanism that allows the activation of insurance for any car after it has passed the technical examination.

Al Zafein said the registration of 17,289 vehicles expired more than four years ago and their owners have not renewed registration or cancelled ownership. The registration of 44,863 cars expired more than one year ago, 11,791 two years ago, 5,440 three years back and 2,607 four years ago. He said some of these cars might not even be in a position to be driven.

Al Zafein said: "People who have not renewed registration will be given a limited time and after that, procedures of the car owner will be frozen until the owner fixes the situation and pays his road penalties.

"This limited time period does not mean owners will have a time to relax. It only comes right before applying the decision of cancelling the ownership."

Al Zafein also urged national insurance companies to play a greater role in traffic safety. He said 15 per cent of drivers are involve in road accidents, and they should be slapped with a higher insurance premium and may be even double. The remaining 85 per cent with a clean record should be give discounts.

He asked owners of expired car registration to cooperate with Dubai Police.

Al Zafein also asked people dealing in buying and selling cars to be aware of some unethical operations by some sellers who have a number of unpaid fines. These fines automatically move to the new buyer if he does not register the car directly.

Registering directly will force the seller to pay his own fines before he can get away with it or leave the country if he was an expatriate. Al Zafein also urged the public to use SMS service to communicate with authorities.