Hatta police target underage drivers

Underage driving by children as young as 13 is the main crime that police in Hatta are targeting this year.

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Underage driving is the main crime that police in Hatta are targeting this year.

To combat it, Hatta police launched a campaign in May to raise awareness.

Lt Col Bader Al Tunaji, the director of Hatta police, said: "We are determined to erase this negative trend from our society. Personally, this is my main target for the year."

The campaign, "Get the Driving Licence First", started with police talking in schools and at social gatherings to educate parents as well.

In June, police intensified patrols to catch offenders and caught 47 children driving without a licence.

Those caught have their cars confiscated for a month and their parents must sign an undertaking that their children will not repeat the offence.

The majority of those caught are between 14 and 15 years old, but some are as young as 13, police said.

* Wafa Issa