A driver in Dubai is accused of ignoring a stop light and causing a crash while under the influence of alcohol. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A driver in Dubai is accused of ignoring a stop light and causing a crash while under the influence of alcohol. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A driver in Dubai is accused of ignoring a stop light and causing a crash while under the influence of alcohol. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A driver in Dubai is accused of ignoring a stop light and causing a crash while under the influence of alcohol. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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UAE

Motorist in Dubai suspected of drink-driving held for jumping red light and injuring two in crash

Officials warn they are taking a zero-tolerance approach to motorists flouting traffic rules

Ali Al Shouk
Ali Al Shouk

December 25, 2025

  • English
  • Arabic

A Dubai prosecutor has warned against the dangers of drink-driving after a motorist was arrested on suspicion of ignoring a red light and crashing into another car while intoxicated.

Two people in the other vehicle were taken to hospital for treatment to their injuries after the incident in Naif.

Drivers in the UAE are not permitted to consume any amount of alcohol before getting behind the wheel, with those found flouting the rules facing significant fines and jail time.

The Christmas holidays are typically a time for increased drink-driving and extra vigilance by police officers.

The driver – who the force said was an Asian man without releasing further details – was arrested and is awaiting action from prosecutors.

Salah Al Falasi, senior advocate general and chief of traffic prosecution, urged all drivers to exercise caution on the roads.

“Drivers should follow legal and safe driving rules and regulations for protecting lives of road users and public properties. There is zero-tolerance with drivers breaching traffic laws,” he said.

Salah Al Falasi, senior advocate general and head of Dubai traffic prosecution, said motorists who drink and drive will feel the sting of the law. Photo: Dubai Traffic Prosecution.
Salah Al Falasi, senior advocate general and head of Dubai traffic prosecution, said motorists who drink and drive will feel the sting of the law. Photo: Dubai Traffic Prosecution.

“The serious incident happened on Monday at Al Khansa intersection. The second car was driving on its way when the drunk driver jumped the red signal and crashed the car.

“He caused injuries for two people in the second car. They were transferred to hospital for treatment.

“We will ask for tough punishment against the driver. We will ask the court to issue a licence suspension or cancellation order.”

Under UAE traffic law, the punishment for drink-driving is a fine ranging from Dh20,000 to Dh100,000 and a jail term of between one month and three years.

The police will seize and impound the vehicle, typically for a period of 60 days.

Figures by the UAE’s Ministry of Interior revealed that drink-driving caused 176 accidents across the UAE in 2024.

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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
While you're here
One in nine do not have enough to eat

Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.

One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.

The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.

Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.

It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.

On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.

Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.

 

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Updated: December 25, 2025, 12:47 PM
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