UAE is set to erase four demerit points for drivers who manage to dodge accidents on the initial day of the academic year.
The start of the school year in the UAE brings with it a heightened focus on road safety, as the Accident-Free Day campaign kicks off its annual initiative to promote safe driving. Launched by the Federal Traffic Council on August 25, the campaign aims to encourage drivers to be vigilant and follow safety measures to reduce accidents and injuries, particularly in school zones.
The Accident-Free Day campaign serves as a timely reminder of the critical need for caution on the road, especially during the school year. Regrettably, there have been rare incidents in the past involving children being injured in school car parks or someone dying in or near a school.
At the heart of the UAE's road safety efforts is the black points system, a penalty mechanism used to discourage traffic violations and enhance road safety. This system assigns penalty points to drivers’ licenses for traffic offenses, with accumulating black points indicating repeat or serious offenses, which can lead to license suspension or mandatory retraining.
The purpose of the black points system is to deter dangerous driving habits, identify repeat offenders, and improve overall driver responsibility and safety on the roads. Different traffic violations carry a specific number of black points based on severity, with more serious offenses carrying higher points. For example, jumping a red light or speeding excessively can lead to 12 points, while driving under the influence may carry 24 points.
Accumulating 24 black points within 12 months leads to license suspension. The length of the suspension varies based on the severity of the rule breaches. First-time offenders face a three-month suspension, second-time offenders six months, and third-time offenders a year. Suspension requires passing mandatory safe driving retraining and tests before license reinstatement.
Black points generally accompany fines, with more serious violations imposing higher fines along with higher points. Drivers can reduce or remove black points by maintaining accident-free driving and following traffic rules over a period, attending traffic awareness courses, or participating in initiatives such as the annual Accident-Free Day, where following traffic rules on a specified day may reduce four black points from the license.
Drivers receive an SMS notification of the black points added to their license, typically within 48 hours of the offense. It's important to note that if a driver's car is impounded, there are additional Dh100 a day fees to release it.
The Accident-Free Day campaign is central to the government's efforts to make UAE roads safer during increased congestion due to a population boom. The initiative highlights the need for seatbelt use, adhering to speed limits, maintaining a safe distance between vehicles, and avoiding distractions such as mobile phone use.
To participate in the Accident-Free Day campaign, individuals can visit the ministry's website, log in, and sign the pledge. Drivers who avoid accidents and abide by traffic rules on August 25 can have four black points cleared from their licence by September 15.
Brig Engineer Hussein Al Harthi, chairman of the Federal Traffic Council, emphasized the importance of the campaign, particularly on the first day of school. Dr Mustafa Al Dah, an Emirati road safety researcher, also emphasized the significance of the campaign during the start of the school year.
With more than 300,000 drivers signing up for the nationwide scheme last year, it's clear that the Accident-Free Day campaign is making a difference in promoting road safety in the UAE. Let's all do our part to ensure our roads remain accident-free this school year.
- During the school year, the Accident-Free Day campaign serves as a crucial reminder for drivers in the UAE to be vigilant and maintain safe driving habits, as highlighted by Brig Engineer Hussein Al Harthi, chairman of the Federal Traffic Council.
- On August 25, the Accident-Free Day campaign offers an opportunity for drivers to make a positive impact on road safety in the UAE by participating and potentially reducing four black points from their license by adhering to traffic rules, as shown in the campaign's annual initiative.
