Taxis to turn away passengers for failing to wear seatbelts
abu dhabi — Passengers who don’t buckle up will be rejected by taxi drivers in Abu Dhabi, following the new traffic laws, Khaleej Times has learned.
Taxi drivers said they have been asked to first inform their passengers to put on the seatbelts, even those seated at the back, and were told to turn away those that don’t comply.
A Dh400 fine will also be handed to drivers who are caught with passengers not buckled up.
“I wait all day to pick up passengers, but now I have to reject them and tell them to get out of my car if they don’t want to wear their seatbelt,” said a cab driver from Uganda, who has been working for three years in Abu Dhabi.
A TransAD customer service representative confirmed the new rules for taxi drivers. “It is affecting us as taxi drivers, because not all our customers will wear their seatbelts, even if we tell them that there is a Dh400 fine for failing to,” added the driver.
He stressed that taxi drivers do not want to turn away passengers, claiming that he is already finding it difficult to meet his monthly target of Dh15,000, since the taxi fares spiked in June.
With a minimum flag-fall of Dh5, a minimum booking trip of Dh12, and minimum booking fees of Dh4, residents are now looking at more affordable ways of commuting. “It is really hard for us to find passengers, because the fares are expensive. People now prefer to just drive or catch the bus to save money.”
He said he has witnessed a staggering decrease in the number of passengers. “I had more
I had more than 40 passengers a day before the fares increased, but now I only pick up around 20 a day. If I have to reject my customers for not wearing their seatbelts, the number will go down further.” Taxi driver
than 40 passengers a day before the fares increased, but now I only pick up around 20 a day.
“If I have to reject my customers for not wearing their seatbelts, the number will go down further.”
Another taxi driver, from India, said he had to reject two passengers in one day after they refused to wear their seatbelts, because he did not want to risk receiving a hefty fine. “Rejecting passengers means there is less chance of meeting my daily target, but what can I do?” he asked.
He added that since June, the number of passengers he picks up have also halved. “I used to get around 50 customers a day, but now I only get 20.”
He said taxi drivers were also warned that authorities might not always pull them over physically for a fine, if their passengers are not buckled up. “We might just receive a text message saying we have received a Dh400 fine.”
The Federal Traffic Law No.21 of 1995 was amended across the entire emirate on July 1. One of the rules requires all passengers to wear seatbelts, or face a fine of Dh400 and four traffic points.
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com