Sharjah: Authorities are urging drivers to follow traffic rules in a bid to reduce one of the main causes of accidents in the UAE – tailgating.
Police in Sharjah have launched a traffic awareness campaign to warn motorists about the dangers of not keeping a safe distance between two vehicles.
As part of its efforts to keep the roads safe during Ramadan, police are cracking down on errant drivers and warned that motorists who tailgate will be slapped with a Dh400 fine and four black points.
According to statistics provided by Abu Dhabi Police, 13 per cent of traffic accidents during the first quarter of 2018 occurred when drivers failed to maintain a safe distance with other vehicles. In some cases, such types of accidents also led to death and injuries.
Traffic experts also suggested leaving a safe distance of 56 metres between vehicles at 100 km/h.
Some of the main reasons for tailgating, according to a recent study commissioned by Road Safety UAE, were due to slow drivers, running late, or being unaware of traffic rules.
Thomas Edelmann, managing director of Road Safety UAE, said: “The majority of UAE motorists recognise the dangers of tailgating, however only 59 per cent never tailgate. Tailgaters blame slower vehicles in front or their own ‘running late’ for their offensive behaviour.”
