Dubai: 2 killed, 73 injured in accidents caused by jumping the red light this year

Many drivers accelerate as they approach a traffic signal, attempting to beat the transition from yellow to red: Top police officer

A Staff Reporter

Published: Sun 3 Sep 2023, 12:02 PM

Last updated: Sun 3 Sep 2023, 10:35 PM

Jumping a red light is one of the most dangerous traffic violations, the Dubai Police have said as the force released shocking statistics related to the offence.

The police recorded 51 accidents in the last seven months that claimed two lives and left 73 injured.

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"Over 13,875 violations were issued for running red lights during the same period in the current year. About 855 vehicles were impounded over red light violations,” said Major-General Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, director of the General Department of Traffic. “The impact of collisions at traffic signals is intensified due to the angle — significantly increasing the risk of death or severe harm.”

He highlighted how many drivers accelerate as they approach a traffic signal, attempting to beat the transition from yellow to red. "This behaviour leads to severe accidents, particularly when drivers fail to reach the signal in time and encounter oncoming traffic," he added.

As per the federal traffic law, jumping a red light is punishable with a Dh1,000 fine, 12 black points on the licence, and 30-day vehicle impoundment. In addition, a law that was implemented recently in Dubai penalises the offence with a Dh50,000 penalty and 23 black points on the licence. This means if a motorist jumps a red light or drives recklessly in Dubai, he/she will need to shell out Dh50,000 to get the confiscated vehicles released.

Earlier today, the police shared a video of eight of the most shocking instances of reckless driving caught on camera in Dubai. The video shows motorists failing to stop at red lights, crashing into vehicles at traffic junctions. In one of the clips, a cyclist can be seen flipping over on a zebra crossing as a vehicle fails to stop. Yet another shows a vehicle crashing into a motorcycle that had stopped at a pedestrian crossing.

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