Abu Dhabi tailgaters who cause crashes must pay Dh5,000 to get back their impounded cars

Abu Dhabi Police have reminded tailgating drivers who cause crashes that they must pay Dh5,000 to have their impounded cars released.

Drivers tailgating, using high beams and sounding their horns create confusion for other road users and can cause serious accidents and deaths, Abu Dhabi Police said.

“Not maintaining safe distances between vehicles is a major reason behind accidents on the road,” the force added.

Offenders' cars will be impounded and they will have to pay a Dh5,000 fine within three months for the vehicle's release, under Abu Dhabi traffic law.

Offenders will also be fined Dh400 and have four traffic points added to their licence.

The number of crashes in the UAE rose by 13 per cent to 3,945 in 2022, from 3,488 the previous year, Ministry of Interior figures show.

Failing to maintain a safe distance caused 505 of those accidents in 2022.

“If the offence resulted in an accident, then the vehicle will be seized until the fees are paid,” Abu Dhabi Police said.

If the fines are not paid, the vehicles are eventually sold at auction.

In Dubai and other emirates, offenders only have to pay the Dh400 fine and receive four traffic points, as long as no one is injured or killed.

Sudden swerving

Police released video of a crash that happened when a driver suddenly changed lanes. Photo: Abu Dhabi Police

Abu Dhabi Police also released footage on Friday of cars crashing on the motorway to highlight the dangers of sudden lane changes.

Shared by the force on social media, the video shows an incident of speeding and switching lanes suddenly.

It was not made clear when the accidents took place.

The video was shared as part of the force's “You Can Comment” campaign, which tries to educate road users about dangerous driving.

Sudden swerving is among the biggest causes of fatal accidents in the UAE each year, along with distracted driving and failure to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.

Abu Dhabi Police release video to highlight deadly dangers of tailgating

Road accidents caused about 350 deaths last year, down from 381 the previous year, according to Ministry of Interior figures.

The number of people injured in collisions almost doubled to 5,045, from the previous year's 2,620.

The Ashes

Results
First Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 10 wickets
Second Test, Adelaide: Australia won by 120 runs
Third Test, Perth: Australia won by an innings and 41 runs
Fourth Test: Melbourne: Drawn
Fifth Test: Australia won by an innings and 123 runs

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.

The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.

“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.

“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”

Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.

Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.

“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.