UAE motorists warned not to stack excess luggage on car roofs

Dubai: Holiday-goers have been advised not to overload their car’s roof, and to adhere to the height limit while driving on UAE roads.

The sight of luggage and bags strapped on the roof of the car is not rare, as residents and tourists alike can be seen driving across the country to reach their holiday destination.

As part of the UAE Ministry of Interior’s summer campaign, motorists have been warned not to stack their suitcases above 60 cm in height.

On its social media accounts, the ministry explained that the permitted load for a vehicle is determined by the manufacturer as per the type of vehicle, “and the height of any load mounted on a vehicle must not exceed 60 cm”.

The MoI, represented by the Federal Traffic Council, launched the third unified traffic awareness campaign at the beginning of July under the slogan “Towards a Safe Summer on the Roads”. The campaign comes in line with the traffic sector’s initiatives aiming to improve and achieve the highest levels of safety to reach a rate of three deaths per 100,000 inhabitant’s by 2021.

The campaign will continue throughout the summer holidays.

During the summer campaign, residents were also urged to check their tyres, brake pads and engine cooling systems.

Police in Abu Dhabi stressed that driving with unfit tyres can be dangerous especially during the summer months as temperatures can peak to almost 50 °C.

“Any damages or cracks can lead to serious traffic accidents, and may result in severe injuries and even death,” cautioned Abu Dhabi Police.