New cameras have helped Dubai Police catch a driver using two mobile phones at once and another reading a newspaper while on the road.
In a video posted on their official social media channels, Dubai Police said their technology will be able to detect violations even if a vehicle’s windscreen is tinted.
The investment in new technology is aimed at enhancing road safety in Dubai, said Maj Gen Saif Al Mazrouei, acting assistant commander-in-chief for operations at Dubai Police.
The technology can catch drivers who use mobile phones, do not wear seatbelts or are distracted.
“The use of these technologies supports Dubai's objective of becoming a global leader in traffic safety and aligns with the strategic goal of reducing road accident fatalities,” said Maj Gen Al Mazrouei.
Distracted driving blamed for four-vehicle collision in Sharjah
Six people were injured when a speeding car crashed into three other vehicles on Emirates Road in Sharjah on Friday afternoon.
The driver failed to notice the build-up in traffic and caused the four-car collision, said Abdullah Al-Munazari, head of the traffic and patrol department at Sharjah Police, blaming the crash on distracted driving and speeding.
Teams from Sharjah Police and National Ambulance were dispatched to the accident site, near Al Badiya Bridge towards Bridge No 7. Some of the injured were airlifted to hospital.
Tighter penalties for distracted driving
Distracted drivers in Dubai caught using mobile phones behind the wheel face having their vehicles seized for up to 30 days under a traffic crackdown, The National reported in October.
Previously, motorists found using mobile phones while driving could be fined Dh800 ($217) and receive four traffic points on their licence.
Road users putting other drivers at risk by swerving suddenly, tailgating or practising poor lane discipline also face stiffer penalties under the new laws.
Six people were killed in road accidents in the first eight months of last year by drivers using mobile phones behind the wheel, according to Dubai Police figures shared in October 2023. Police recorded 35,527 distracting driving offences in this period, with 50 people injured as a result.
Distracted driving causes most road fatalities
According to Thomas Edelmann, managing director of Road Safety UAE, the data from the Ministry of Interior shows that distracted driving is the number one cause of death on the roads. “And within distracted driving, the use of mobile phones is a very, very big contributor,” he added.
“We have the laws in place, and we have the element of enforcement by the policemen, but there's also the enforcement by technology.
“Now you see a lot of radar installations that can not only capture our speed but can also capture the distance to the vehicle in front of us. So, if you're tailgating, you get a fine.”
Road accidents on the rise
The number of road accidents in the UAE rose by 11 per cent last year, compared to 2022.
Statistics from the Ministry of Interior released in May this year showed there were 4,391 crashes last year, up from 3,945 in 2022. These accidents resulted in 352 deaths, a slight increase from 343 in 2022.
Accidents in Abu Dhabi caused 133 deaths and 1,850 injuries in 2023, compared to 121 deaths and 2,607 injuries in Dubai.
In Sharjah, 34 people died in traffic accidents last year and 387 were injured. Ras Al Khaimah authorities recorded 30 road deaths and 326 injuries.
There were 16 road deaths in Umm Al Quwain and 63 injuries, 11 crash deaths in Ajman and 133 injuries, while Fujairah recorded seven road deaths and 202 injuries.
How e-scooters are affecting UAE road safety – in pictures
The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)
The Scale for Clinical Actionability of Molecular Targets
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
BLACKBERRY
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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The biog
Name: Maitha Qambar
Age: 24
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Education: Master’s Degree
Favourite hobby: Reading
She says: “Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone learns from their experiences”
MATCH INFO
Argentina 47 (Tries: Sanchez, Tuculet (2), Mallia (2), De La Fuente, Bertranou; Cons: Sanchez 5, Urdapilleta)
United States 17 (Tries: Scully (2), Lasike; Cons: MacGinty)
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The finalists
Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho
Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson
Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)
Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid
Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola
The Little Things
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
Four stars
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Fresh faces in UAE side
Khalifa Mubarak (24) An accomplished centre-back, the Al Nasr defender’s progress has been hampered in the past by injury. With not many options in central defence, he would bolster what can be a problem area.
Ali Salmeen (22) Has been superb at the heart of Al Wasl’s midfield these past two seasons, with the Dubai club flourishing under manager Rodolfo Arrubarrena. Would add workrate and composure to the centre of the park.
Mohammed Jamal (23) Enjoyed a stellar 2016/17 Arabian Gulf League campaign, proving integral to Al Jazira as the capital club sealed the championship for only a second time. A tenacious and disciplined central midfielder.
Khalfan Mubarak (22) One of the most exciting players in the UAE, the Al Jazira playmaker has been likened in style to Omar Abdulrahman. Has minimal international experience already, but there should be much more to come.
Jassim Yaqoub (20) Another incredibly exciting prospect, the Al Nasr winger is becoming a regular contributor at club level. Pacey, direct and with an eye for goal, he would provide the team’s attack an extra dimension.
