Dangerous drivers targeted with 24-hour police patrols

Dubai is adding patrols to the emirate's most dangerous roads, including 24-hour patrols on Emirates Road.

DUBAI // Authorities in Dubai say they are attacking dangerous driving with more police patrols - including 24-hour patrols on Emirates Road - and harsher prosecution.

Chief Dubai Traffic Prosecutor Salah Bu Faroosha said yesterday: "We will not take any traffic case that leads to death and injury lightly. We will prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law and be firm to ensure that road deaths stop."

The Director of the Dubai Police General Traffic Administration, Maj Gen Mohammed al Zafein, said yesterday that more patrols would be placed on the roads, with a focus on Emirates Road.

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"The Emirates Road is the deadliest road in the emirate, and we are co-ordinating between the Jebel Ali, Bur Dubai, Rashidiyah and Qusais police stations to have two police patrols on the road 24 hours a day," Maj Gen al Zafien said.

Last year, 22 deaths were recorded on Emirates Road, in comparison with 21 in 2009. Sheikh Zayed Road was second with 14; it had 11 in 2009. Al Khail Road had five in 2010, compared with seven in 2009, according to police.

The number of road deaths in 2010 reached 152, police said. There have been 47 this year, according to the Dubai Traffic Prosecution.

"The implementation of preventive campaigns is going to become more effective, we will concentrate on monitoring traffic flow and pulling over violating drivers immediately to cite them," Maj Gen al Zafien said.

Police are also taking aim and hazards caused by minibuses and recreational motorcycles, the traffic chief said.

"These are our main areas of concern at this point in time, and we have implemented regulations on limiting the number of minibus passengers and are looking to enforce more rules on the quad bike usages in urban areas," he said, reiterating the department's goal of having zero traffic deaths by 2020.

Traffic deaths in Dubai peaked in 2007 with 332 deaths.