RTA Dubai backs heavier penalty for phone driving

Dubai - A KT poll revealed 77 per cent respondents supporting heftier fines to help make UAE roads safer.

Fines and black points may be increased for those caught using mobile phones while driving, a senior official from Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has said.
Reacting to Khaleej Times' campaign against the dangers of texting while driving, Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA's Licensing Agency, said: "The fine system is under the jurisdiction of the Dubai Police and authorities are always reviewing plans to mitigate road accidents. One of these is to discourage people from using mobile phones.
"I will not be surprised that in future, the fines and black points against mobile users (while driving) will be increased because it has been one of the causes of accidents on the road," Bahrozyan told Khaleej Times on the sidelines of an RTA event, which saw the authority honouring its partners and media entities on Wednesday.
Bahrozyan also commended Khaleej Times for initiating the campaign on road safety and for calling for tougher sanctions against those caught using their phones while driving.
A KT poll revealed 77 per cent respondents supporting heftier fines to help make UAE roads safer.
At present, the penalty for using a mobile phone while driving is Dh200, in addition to four black points. Earlier this year, the Federal Traffic Council recommended to the Ministry of Interior to raise the fine to Dh1,000 and mete 12 black points, along with the seizure of the vehicle.
"I think most of us are guilty of being overconfident while driving - thinking we can do multiple tasks at the same time," Bahrozyan said. "But driving is a complicated skill which requires full attention at all time. Dubai roads are also always busy and drivers come from all parts of the world. It is very important to give driving complete attention at all time.
"As a word of caution to myself and to everybody living in Dubai: We can use our mobile phones most of the day but don't use it while driving," Bahrozyan stressed.
According to statistics from the RTA, texting while driving makes one 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident, and reduces the reaction time of drivers by 50 per cent.
angel@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai