Woman 'owes more than Dh134,000 in traffic fines'

DUBAI // A driver owes more than Dh134,000 in traffic fines for 218 offences, police say.

The Emirati woman is one of 10 motorists who together have accumulated a total of more than Dh1 million in fines.

Police released the figures while announcing measures to confiscate the vehicles of those owing more than Dh40,000, currently 296 motorists.

"These people, especially those with a very high number of fines, are a potential cause of accidents and therefore we need to stop them," said Maj Gen Mohammed Saif Al Zaffin, the head of the Dubai Police traffic department. "It is vital to curb accidents."

An Egyptian man owes the second-highest amount in fines - Dh131,900 from 187 offences.

Seven other Emiratis and an Indian complete the top 10 list of six men and four women.

This week police confiscated the car of an Emirati woman in her twenties who had accumulated more than Dh127,000 worth of fines from about 80 offences in six months.

The woman commutes to Abu Dhabi for work and most of the fines were for speeding.

"We circulated her number plate and were able to confiscate her car in Al Barsha," said Gen Al Zaffin.

The woman reportedly owns a BMW worth about Dh350,000.

"She has yet not come forward to arrange for the payment but there are facilities to be offered, such as settling the fines in instalments," said Gen Al Zaffin.

"But she needs to understand that she is a danger on the road if she continues to speed."

Under the new measures, motorists caught with more than Dh40,000 in fines will have their vehicles confiscated on the spot. The cars will not be released until the outstanding amount is paid.

Police say a further 3,829 people have fines totalling more than Dh10,000.

With the new rules, the licence plate details of drivers who have attained that threshold will be circulated among police patrols.

Once caught, the drivers will be asked to contact the traffic department to pay the fines.

"It is an alarm bell for us when we see that anyone has more than Dh10,000 in fines so we need to keep these people closely monitored," said Gen Al Zaffin.

Police said the moves were aimed at reducing accidents, rather than generating revenue.

"If we were only interested in making people pay money we would not have confiscated their cars," said Gen Al Zaffin.

"It is important to make people understand the danger of their acts and it is equally important to have a deterrent measure.

"By confiscating the car or forcing motorists to pay, we are providing such a deterrent."

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