No more discount on Abu Dhabi traffic fines

Abu Dhabi : The Abu Dhabi Police on Sunday announced that the 50 per cent discount on traffic fines will not be available from next month.

The cancellation of discount will be effective from August 1, for the fines on fresh traffic violations, said the police. Fines on traffic offences took place before the date will be calculated as per the former rule.

According to the Abu Dhabi Police, the decision on cancellation of the discounts came after an in-depth study for improving the traffic safety. The system of 50 per cent discount on traffic fines came into effect in 2010, in accordance with the executive regulations of the Federal law No 21 on traffic as per specific rules.

"The new rule is according to a traffic safety plan which aims at giving priority to making Abu Dhabi roads safer, one of the paramount priorities of the Abu Dhabi Police," a statement released by the police said, adding that it is also in line with the Abu Dhabi Strategy 2030, which targets to reduce the traffic fatalities.

"The new rule aims at reducing traffic accidents, main reasons for which are speeding and violation of traffic regulations and rules. We are not looking at making profit, but our aim is to raise the standard of traffic safety," the statement added.

According to statistics released by the Traffic and Patrols Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police in May this year, 1,837 motorists were caught driving over 200kilometres per hour on the roads of Abu Dhabi. Brigadier Hussain Al Harthi, Director-General of Central Operations in Abu Dhabi Police, said that the number of fatalities on Abu Dhabi roads has dramatically increased in the first three months of 2016, compared to the first three months of 2015, with over 489 road accidents.

He also suggested that the discount would be abolished soon as the discounts on traffic fines has resulted in rise of road offences.

The Abu Dhabi Police will keep on intensifying efforts to protect and maintain the safety of the road users, which also include improving the infrastructure to force drivers slow down in residential areas while plying the internal roads. This will be made in coordination with the strategic partners, mainly the Abu Dhabi Municipality an the Abu Dhabi urban Planning Council, to provide the best safety standards for pedestrians and motorists.