Speeding motorists need higher fines

Speeding motorists need higher fines

Two cars are caught by Abu Dhabi police travelling at more than 200kph. The fine? Maximum AED 2,000. Kipp thinks the law needs to get tough.

August 8, 2010 12:24 by Samuel Potter

Abu Dhabi Police made the news this week when it announced the confiscation of two high end cars that were caught doing more than 200 kph.

The motorists were caught between Dubai and Abu Dhabi driving a Ferrari at 250 kph and a Bentley at 213 kph. The two cars were seized for 30 days, and the drivers were referred to the Public Prosecution for legal action. The maximum fine for driving dangerously or racing on the roads is AED 2,000 in addition to 12 black points on a license.

Gulf News reports that the confiscations were the result of new technology introduced by the police. Hunter radars have been adopted by the force, which is a laser operated device that allows officers to capture a clear image of speeding vehicles, and is also capable of producing videos. The radar is capable of covering all road directions and is sensitive towards vehicles which exceed speed limits at long distances.

Kipps ongoing anger with the UAE roads is set to continue, it seems. Exactly what kind of a deterrent is a AED 2,000 fine to someone who can afford the fuel to run a Ferrari or Bentley, let alone the car itself? The answer is, none whatsoever. And the loss of the car for 30 days? I’m pretty sure if you own a Ferrari you probably have another car, or if not you can probably afford to hire one for a few weeks.

The adoption of new technology to catch offenders is good news, and we welcome more of it. But UAE police need to take off the kid gloves – increase fines, keep cars permanently, and confiscate licenses (with the threat of jail if a person drives while the police have their license). It is only by treating the crime seriously that the offenders with take it seriously.

What do you think? In a country filled with top-end performance cars, are the police tough enough on speeding drivers?