Sharjah Police has released a powerful video warning drivers against using mobile phones while driving.
The video, posted to the force's social media channels on Saturday, shows how just a few moments of distracted driving can lead to an accident.
The footage shows a car colliding with the central reservation of a motorway, alongside shots of several drivers using phones while driving.
“Every number tells a painful story that could have been prevented,” an officer in the video states. “Just a few seconds were enough to end everything.”
She says people who send messages, scroll through screens or take photos forget that every second of distraction “could be the last moment in somebody's life”.
The officer also revealed in the video that 267 traffic accidents have been recorded this year in Sharjah due to mobile phone use while driving.
“The road is not a place for browsing,” she said. “Put the phone aside and make your safety a priority.”
Warnings by police forces across all seven emirates against the use of phones while driving have increased over the past few years.
Drivers can face fines and black points if they are caught using phones while at the wheel.
If a driver receives 24 black points in 12 months, their licence is suspended.
The length of the suspension is decided by how severe the infraction is.
