Dubai motorists have been warned against driving under the influence of drugs, after 240 cases were recorded so far this year.
Authorities will show zero tolerance towards drivers breaching traffic laws, and offenders will receive the harshest penalties, warned Dubai Traffic Prosecution.
Official figures showed there were 240 cases of driving under the influence of drugs this year to the end of September, compared to 274 cases in 2023.
“Motorists shouldn’t drive vehicles under the influence of drugs or prescribed medication that cause drowsiness as it may affect their judgment,” said Salah Bu Farousha, prosecutor with Dubai Traffic Prosecution.
The warning follows the recent sentencing of a motorist to two years in prison, with a Dh100,000 fine, for driving under the influence of drugs. Mr Bu Farousha said Dubai Traffic Court also ordered the suspension of the driver’s licence for one year to be followed by deportation.
The court prohibited the motorist from wiring or depositing any money to others, either personally or through someone else, without the permission of the UAE Central Bank for two years after the completion of the sentence.
The motorist, whose details were not disclosed, was caught while driving a vehicle without insurance in August this year. He was stopped at a checkpoint in the Al Warqa area after police became suspicious about his behaviour.
Tests and investigations found that he had a criminal record for similar incidents and that he was driving under the influence of drugs, added Mr Bu Farousha.
The driver was charged with drugs consumption, driving under the influence of drugs, driving a vehicle without insurance and without renewing registration. “We called upon the court to punish him with the toughest punishment as he committed similar incidents in the past,” he said.
Legal adviser Mohammed Najeeb told The National that driving under the influence of drugs is a crime even if the motorist has a prescribed medication.
“Some people believe possessing a prescription allows them to drive, unaware that they are endangering the safety of others,” Mr Najeeb said. “Motorists should check with doctors if it is safe or not to drive with prescribed drugs.”
Cases fall under the Federal Traffic Law and motorists caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol risk having their licence suspended for one year. The fine and jail time is determined by the traffic court.
“The punishment is not limited to traffic laws,” Mr Najeeb added. “The motorist can also be charged with endangering the lives of others. Additionally, the Anti-Narcotics Law applies which can lead to harsher penalties for those involved in these crimes, with fines reaching up to Dh100,000 or imprisonment.”
In November, Dubai Traffic Court sentenced a 41-year-old motorist to two years in prison and suspended his driving licence for six months after he caused accidents while driving under the influence of drugs.
The driver had abruptly swerved and collided with another vehicle, injuring both the driver and a passenger. Officers at the scene noticed the motorist's unusual behaviour, and a forensic report later confirmed he was under the influence of drugs.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
THE SPECS
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 680Nm
Price: Dh465,071
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
