Woman Saves 31K GBP Fines In Amazing Road Safety Project

Story By:  Ana MarjanovicSub-EditorJoseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

A Dubai woman driver has saved 31,500 GBP in traffic fines as part of a good-behaviour scheme that has seen all her fines waived as a reward for a year of good driving.

Police figures said that 444,661 beneficiaries of the scheme were women and 114,769 were men.

According to local media, since police in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched the ‘Traffic Fines Settlement’ initiative in February 2019, fatal accidents have dropped by 16 percent, while the region also saw a 38-percent drop in the rate of severe injuries on roads.

Woman driver Amira Esmail, 39, had numerous fines on two cars registered under her name, but motorists are able to benefit from discounts on their fines as long as though do not commit further offences, according to reports.

Local media said that if someone goes three months without a repeat offence, they benefit from a 25-percent discount under the scheme.

For being a good driver for six months, motorists receive a 50-percent discount while nine months offers 75-percent off and a full year sees a 100-percent reduction, according to local media.

As well as saving 31,500 GBP in traffic fines, Esmail said the initiative has also helped her to become a better driver.

She told local media: “I was a good driver and didn’t commit any traffic offences for a year. I was so happy when I checked the 150,000-AED (31,450-GBP) fines in the system and found that it was waived.

“The initiative encouraged me to follow traffic instructions and be careful while driving.”

Motorists in the region have saved 1.2 million GBP in fines, which is around 206 GBP per person, according to reports.

Dubai Police spokesperson Colonel Juma Salim Bin Suwaidan said: “The initiative contributed to preventing fatal traffic accidents by 16 percent and saw a 38-percent drop in the rate of severe injuries on roads.”

Rashid Hospital officials also confirmed that the scheme has contributed to reducing accidents resulting in serious injuries while adding that it has encouraged drivers to be better road users.

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