Police curb noisy driving in Sharjah neighbourhoods

Sharjah - Since the beginning of October, the police have stepped up patrols in certain areas.

The Sharjah Police have confiscated 29 vehicles that were modified to make annoying noise, according to a top police officer.
Major-General Saif Al Zeri Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of the Sharjah Police, said the police have intensified inspections following complaints from residents of Al Dhaid, Al Madam and Al Badayer areas regarding modified vehicles driven by reckless drivers producing annoying noise.
Stunts performed by drivers on the roads and the noise and pollution caused by these vehicles are raising concerns among residents of several neighbourhoods in the central region.
Major-General Al Shamsi said the police would intensify inspections to check for modified engines, silencers and horns according to directives by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. "The police will not tolerate those motorists who have illegally tampered with their vehicles and drive them dangerously. These vehicles breach modification standards set by the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma)," he added.
Since the beginning of October, the police have stepped up patrols in areas such as Al Badayer to ensure safety and peace of residents, visitors and tourists. "We have special winter plans under which patrols would be deployed in picnic areas where families gather to enjoy the pleasant weather," Maj-Gen Al Shamsi said.
He added that the police also have recently installed radars to crackdown on noisy motorists, to reduce residential disturbance in all parts of the emirate. The radars which can capture audio and video, measure the decibels of passing cars and fine vehicles that cross 95 decibels.
Motorists whose vehicles break the 95 decibels barrier will be fined Dh2,000 and given 12 black points, along with vehicle confiscation ranging up to six months under Article 20 of the Federal Traffic Law. This move aims to reduce the disturbance caused by loud vehicles to residents across the emirate.
Lieutenant-Colonel Omar bin Ghanem, deputy director of the Traffic and Patrol Department, said that the inspection campaigns aim at ensuring safety on internal roads and highways and tranquilising residential areas. The police have also deployed additional patrols to arrest the culprits, protect lives and prevent motorists' negative behaviour that affect residents in the emirate. Despite our efforts to control this problem, every year during this time of the year, the police receive complaints from residents about reckless driving of noisy vehicles," he added.
He added it is mostly youth who illegally modify their vehicles for more power. "They fit accessories to turn up the volume of the horns and modify exhaust systems or add devices to boost the vehicle's speed.
The police are continuing to carry out awareness programmes to educate young people on the dangers of changing vehicle parts from unauthorised dealers. In coordination with the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD), the police are following up with workshops that conduct modifications of vehicle engines to ensure that they are following Esma's vehicle modification procedures.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

• Sharjah