Drunk Dubai driver gets three months in jail after death of motorist on roadside

The man has also been fined Dh10,000 and ordered to pay Dh200,000 in blood money to the family of the deceased

In the UAE there is no legal limit for alcohol when in charge of a vehicle. Getty

A drunk driver who ran over another motorist standing on the roadside has been sentenced to three months in jail.

Prosecutors told Dubai Traffic Court that the Tunisian man, 37, consumed a significant amount of alcohol before getting behind the wheel on September 11, 2022.

He was driving on Hessa Street and heading to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road when he suddenly swerved and hit the victim, who was standing on the side of the road.

The victim was picking up parts of his car that had fallen off after it was hit by another vehicle just minutes before the fatal accident.

He died at the scene and a female passenger who was sitting in his car was injured.

Police officers who arrived at the scene ordered the driver to take a breathalyser test after they suspected he was drunk.

The device showed an “extremely high” reading of alcohol in his blood and he was arrested.

Dubai Traffic Court passed the judgment, saying it was a case of wrongful death and not premeditated murder.

The judges suspended the man's driving licence for one year, fined him Dh10,000 and ordered him to pay Dh200,000 in blood money to the family of the deceased.

In court, the man admitted to charges of drunk driving, causing wrongful death, causing injuries and damaging both vehicles, but he blamed the victim for standing on the side of the road.

His defence argument was dismissed and he was found guilty on all charges.

The UAE has a zero-tolerance approach to drinking and driving. This means there is no legal limit for alcohol use when in charge of a vehicle.