Traffic law violators may face deportation

Traffic law violators may face deportationBy Adel Arafah (Our staff reporter)KHALEEJ TIMES 2 March 2008

ABU DHABI — The Minister of Interior can order deportation of expatriate violators of the new federal traffic law and the black points system that came into effect yesterday, a senior official has clarified.

The deportation as a penalty for some cases of violation has been incorporated in the amended law on the instructions of Lt-Gen. Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior.

Lt-Gen Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, Under-Secretary of the ministry, said at a Press conference here, “Deportation is a penalty which the minister can enforce against rash motorists who pose a danger to public safety.

“Shaikh Saif is keen about the safety of the public. His order to deport truck drivers whose vehicles dropped rocks on the roads fell within this context. The minister can enforce this penalty when it deems necessary.”

Al Shafar was replying to a question raised by this reporter about the possible enforcement of deportation on frequent violators who drive dangerously and put the lives of road users at risk. The amended traffic law aimed to restrain the rash motorists and reduce traffic accidents.

Al Shafar said a motorist had to become a self watcher now. He/she must be eager not to commit any violation due to the newly fixed tough penalties, he said, adding the ministry had launched awareness campaigns in cooperation with the traffic departments nationwide to spread awareness about the new law and the black points system.

Meanwhile, Colonel Ghaith Al Za’abi, Director of the Department of Traffic, Ministry of Interior, detailed the mechanism of implementing the new traffic law and the black points system.

He said: “The e-link between all emirates of the country is our best instrument to put the new system in place.”

Under the e-system, he explained, the traffic police would register the offence and send it to the traffic department which would, in turn, transmit it through the e-visual sender to all traffic departments. An SMS would be sent to the offender notifying him/her about the type of the violation and the number of black points.

Engineer Mohammed Al Dali of the Abu Dhabi Municipality said, “I think the black points system will make motorists more compliant with the traffic rules. The matter goes beyond paying fines to registration of black points on the motorist’s traffic record.”