Sharjah sees 62% improvement on seatbelt use

Sharjah - This commitment contributed to the decrease in the number of injuries caused by traffic accidents.

More Sharjah residents are buckling up these days, with the police recording a 62 per cent improvement on seatbelt use in the first half of the year, compared to the same period last year.
Lt-Col Mohammed Al Allay Al Naqbi, director of the Sharjah Police's traffic and patrols department, thanked residents for their commitment to wearing seatbelts whether in their own vehicles or on public transport.
"This commitment contributed to the decrease in the number of injuries caused by traffic accidents. The achievement falls in line with the Ministry of Interior's goal of making roads safer," he said.
From posters and brochures to social media posts, awareness campaigns have been rolled out to remind road users of traffic laws and safety regulations.
Plans are also under way to ramp up inspections using on-road cameras that can detect motorists and passengers who are not wearing seatbelts, Lt-Col Al Naqbi said.
According to the country's traffic laws. all passengers in a car are required to wear seatbelts, including those in the rear seat. If violations are detected, the driver of the vehicle will be fined Dh400 and slapped with four black points.
Children up to four years of age must also be provided with child seats. Penalties for this offence will also be a fine of Dh400 and four black points. The front seat passenger should be at least 145cm tall and not younger than 10 years old.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com 

• Sharjah