According to Ministry of Interior record, in 2022 there were around 381 fatalities and around 2,620 injuries. The figures are up from 2021- 256 dead and 2,437 injured.
As per World Health Organization (WHO) about 1.24 million people lose their lives every year in road crashes/ accidents. Accidents by young drivers have become the leading cause of death.
If God forbid, one is in any way involved in an accident, it is always better to consult a trusted legal firm or lawyer. FranGulf Advocates & Legal Consultants LLC, a Licensed Legal Consultants in Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Fujairah and Ra’s al-Khaimah; provide high-quality legal services in the cases related to motor vehicle accidents while adhering to the best standards of integrity, professional ethics, honesty and excellence. One can also seek legal advice through their online legal consultation platform which is active 24X7.
One of the main leading causes of death amongst children in UAE is road injuries. Out of three every second lethally wounded child loses his life in road crash. After heart disease, road accidents is believed to be the second biggest reason for death in UAE.
The UAE’s road and transport authorities and traffic police play a significant role in guaranteeing safety and following traffic laws, and they employ cutting-edge technologies to reduce traffic offenses.
In all matters relating to traffic restrictions and infractions in the UAE, Federal Traffic Law No. 21 of 1995, as amended by Federal Law No. 12 of 2007, and the pertinent executive regulations and ministerial directives are applied.
On July 1, 2017; the UAE’s federal traffic law was changed. As part of Vision 2021, the new regulations seek to better safeguard the lives of road users by lowering the number of traffic fatalities from 6 per 100,000 to 3 per 100,000.
PENALTY:
In the UAE, a system of “black points” that can result in license confiscation is in place to make sure traffic laws are followed. This system works in lowering the rate of road accidents.
A handful of permanent points form the system’s foundation. A schedule-based system is used to assign black points to drivers who break traffic laws. The amount of black points is calculated starting from the date of the breach and reflects how serious the violation was. Every traffic rule in the UAE has been allotted a pre-decided number of black points already. This means that every violation will add black points to the license automatically. The maximum number of black points allowed in UAE is 24. If you have 24 black points, License can be confiscated for 3 months to a year. The second penalty sees a confiscation of 6 months and the third time the suspension time is raised to a year. You can get your license only after taking a few mandatory tests about safe driving, prescribed by the RTA.
The penalties imposed on the offender are different for different emirates. In some cases vehicle can also be impounded.
List of some of the offences is mentioned below.
| OFFENCE | DUBAI (amount(AED)/Black point) | SHARJAH (amount(AED)/Black point) | ABU DHABI (amount(AED)/Black point) |
| Driving While Intoxicated | By Court/23 | 0/24 | 0/23 |
| Not having a driving license | 400/12 | 100/0 | 400/0 |
| Failing to wear seat belt while driving | 400/4 | 400/4 | 400/4 |
| Driving dangerously | 2000/23 | 2000/12 | 2000/23 |
| Using Mobile phone while driving | 800/4 | 200/4 | 800/4 |
| Jumping the red light signal | 1000/12 | 800/8 | 1000/0 |
| Exceeding the speed limit by 80 km/h | 3000/23 | 3000/23 | |
| Driving without number plate | 3000/23 | 200/0 | 3000/23 |
To prevent any danger, RTA advises drivers to examine the pressure in their automobile tires once every two weeks. As per various records one of the main reasons of road accidents is automobile malfunctioning. It is therefore better that the vehicle is sent for services timely and when required one should update the vehicle.
ROAD SAFETY INITIATIVES
To prevent road accidents and reduce the impact on lives and property, various government agencies in the UAE have launched initiatives and awareness campaigns to reduce the impact of road fatalities. Some of these initiatives are:
The ‘White Points’ system:
In 2012, Dubai Police introduced the ‘White Points’ system to motivate those driving cars to abide by traffic laws and regulations. Under the White Points system, people with a driving license issued by the Dubai Government will be rewarded if they do not:
- commit any traffic violations in Dubai or other emirates
- incur Salik and parking fines
- face traffic prosecution cases for an entire year.
“White points” are accumulated at the end of the year, at the rate of two points per month. Eligible drivers would gather 24 points in one calendar year.
“White points” entitles the driver to one of the following rewards, once, during one calendar year:
- Exchanging traffic white points with traffic black points for a maximum of 12 points
- Cancelling the impoundment of the vehicle for a period of 30 days maximum
- Cancelling a traffic violation that is clear of black points or impoundment period
- Cancelling the payment for the extra impoundment period for 30 days maximum.
eCALL
An eCall system for making automatic calls in the event of traffic accidents was launched by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) in collaboration with the police departments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
In case of an impact, the eCall framework naturally lays out a two-way voice correspondence by means of the phone organization to the closest crisis place. A medical team will be sent to the accident scene as soon as possible by the emergency center.
By providing a sophisticated feature for rapid communication with the emergency teams, this system will shorten the time it takes to respond to an accident. Instead of printing commands, it will allow automatic and voice information to be received and logged into the system simultaneously.
Central traffic control system ‘SCOOT’
In order to improve traffic flow at major intersections, the central traffic control system known as “SCOOT” has sensors that count the number of vehicles at signals. The sensors will identify the stream, the quantity of vehicles and the speed. In both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, this brand-new adaptive traffic control system is in use.
Abu Dhabi Strategic Road Safety Plan:
Road Safety Awareness is a program created by Abu Dhabi-based DOT that focuses on drivers, passengers and pedestrians. The program aims to train children and young people to become future road users and drivers. The objectives is to reducing road crash fatalities and injuries in the emirate of Abu Dhabi and facilitate the safe and efficient movement of people whilst protecting and enhancing quality of life.
Haseb:
In 2008, the Road Transport Authority (RTA) afloat a major lifelong safety campaign under the phrase “Haseb” (take care). The campaign focuses on safety issues on roads, transport, construction sites, and maritime and other safety activities. It targets on major causes of accident such as speeding, cell phone use, fatigue, following too close together, loosening seat belts, lack of lane rules, and skipping red lights.
HITTING A PARKED AUTOMOBILE
If the driver who hit your car doesn’t inform the authorities and follow motor vehicle accident laws, you have little chance of compensation.
However, if there is a surveillance camera nearby, there is a good chance that it might be captured in the video.
It is always good to report the collision so that if the driver is identified, authorities can take a proper action against him.
CLAIMING CAR ACCIDENT INSURANCE
Even if you drive perfectly safe, one cannot trust other automobilist on the road because this is an unforeseen scenario. Unfortunately, if you get into an accident and don’t have comprehensive insurance, you can lose a lot of money.
If you have car insurance, filing a claim can at least cover the financial portion of your injury, even if the injury is medically incurable.
Car insurance claims can seem daunting, but if you follow the right steps, it’s easy.
What To Do In Case Of A Traffic Accident:
- Warning to Authorities: You can dial 999 for emergencies and 901 for non-emergency car accidents in the United Arab Emirates.
- Secure the vehicle in a safe place: If your car accident is minor, it’s important to move your car to a safe location and clear traffic. Drivers who obstruct traffic will be penalized. In the event of a serious accident, the uninjured driver should arrange a towing service. (If you see the offender running away from the scene, take a picture of their car.)
- Get a police report: A police report is the most important document that proves your responsibility in a car accident. It is illegal to make repairs without reporting to the police.
- Notify your insurance company: Carefully assess the damage incurred and notify the insurance company. If you don’t have a medical emergency, you can instantaneously check the terms of your policy on your online insurance site. As a result, you will be informed of exclusions and inclusions and what should and should not be included in your claim.
- Contact an efficient auto accident attorney.
Traffic accidents are not easy to deal with when they are serious. Other complications caused by crashes also cause a lot of physical and mental stress. Dealing with insurance is getting more and more difficult. It is always better to consult a reliable attorney as they will be well versed with the local legal procedure. There is a good chance that the matter can be resolved out of court with an advocate’s involvement through negotiation. If necessary a licensed attorney can also represent the party in court. It is also difficult to deal with insurance companies individually, so it is always better to consult an advocate for the same.
Many questions may arise in such situations. FranGulf Advocates & Legal Consultants LLC can help you find answers to all your questions and provide you with best advice and support.
“Blood Money”, in general is what the offender pays to the victim or his family for the death or injury of the victim. It is also known as ‘diya’, and is in line with Islamic Shariah principles.
Blood money in the United Arab Emirates is worth 200,000 AED ($54,458) for a person’s life either men or women. Arshi compensation (injury money) covers loss of function of an organ, limb or body part. Payments are made based on a fixed amount, which includes the percentage of damage determined by the health inspection committee. This is about 200,000 AED in blood money. For example, if the medical examination team determines that a person has a 50% disability, they will receive AED 100,000 in blood money. In case of bodily injury, such as the loss of both limbs, the court finds that it deserves the full blood money.
In a recent motor vehicle accident case handled by FranGulf Advocates & Legal Consultants LLC, a well renowned firm situated in UAE; an Indian expatriate was awarded 5 Million dirhams. Due to the accident the 20 years young boy had to suffer from 50% brain damage along with damage to his skull, arms, and legs.