Dhs3,000 fine for not giving way to emergency vehicles: Ministry

ABU DHABI: The Ministry of Interior (MOI) has announced that it is increasing the fine concerning drivers that do not give way to emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, police cars and official parade vehicles, as mentioned in the Federal Traffic Law, to Dhs3,000.

Offending vehicles can also be seized for 30 days and drivers will be penalised six traffic points, it added.

The decision, which will come into force on July 1, 2019, aims to improve road and traffic safety, reduce the number of deaths resulting from traffic accidents, and achieve the indexes of the National Agenda, as per the UAE Government vision.

The ministry has highlighted its keenness to ensure the safety and security of roads and undertake the necessary procedures while urging road users to be active partners in its related efforts.

It also recently announced that it will conduct civil patrols to monitor violations against emergency and official vehicles, through its smart systems, road-mounted cameras and patrol vehicles, to ensure the safety of the general public and enable them to reach their desired locations as quickly as possible.

The Ministry of Interior has stressed that road users must listen to emergency sirens and identify the lights of emergency vehicles, and everyone must take their responsibility and ensure safety by giving priority to these vehicles.

Recently, the General Command of Abu Dhabi Police (ADP) launched the “Smart Driving Test Project” as part of its efforts to adopt the latest technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Under the new project, the driving test is conducted in smart vehicles, featuring advanced systems that monitor and evaluate the driver performance.

Major General Staff Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Commander-in-chief of the ADP, reviewed one of the project’s vehicles and its smart equipment. Brigadier Khalifa Al Khaili, Director of the Finance and Services Sector; Brigadier Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director of Central Operations; and Brigadier Mohammed Suhail Al Rashidi, Director of the Criminal Security Sector, were also present.

Al Mazrouei was also briefed by Colonel Mohammed Al Ameri, Director of the Drivers and Vehicles Licencing Department of Central Operations, about the vehicle’s equipment and the project’s importance in preventing traffic accidents and offering the best services to the public.

The project will be implemented in three testing centres in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, using 32 smart vehicles, including 19 automatic vehicles, 13 manual vehicles, and 28 buses, which are connected to the control and monitoring rooms by an advanced communication network.