Dubai // Almost as many motorists were fined for using their mobile phones while driving in the first two months of this year as in the whole of 2008.
Dubai Police issued 2,005 fines for the offence in January and February, compared with 2,552 last year when the monthly average was 212.
It is punishable with four black points and a Dh200 (US$55) fine. Drivers who rack up 24 points within a year face a three-month driving ban.
The rate of people being fined has increased rapidly this year. In January, 866 offences were recorded, while in February there were 1,139 - almost a third more. The statistics reflect the mounting campaign to curb what is a common practice among UAE drivers.
Nadia Helou, a Lebanese motorist caught using a mobile phone while driving on Sheikh Zayed Road, said: "Obviously, I was embarrassed because I knew it was illegal. I knew they saw me and I knew I was getting fined before they put the lights and sirens on."
However, no figures are available for the number of car accidents caused by motorists using mobile phones.
"Usually at every crash, we find a phone, but it is difficult to tell if the phone was in their hand," said Brig Mohammed Saif al Zafin, the director of the General Department of Traffic of Dubai Police. "We don't know if they were using the phone, listening to a CD or talking to a passenger in the car."
Police safety campaigns aimed at drivers have already had an effect. Road deaths dropped from 332 in 2007 to 293 in 2008 - an 11.7 per cent decline.
Last month Dubai Police launched a year-long awareness campaign, Cross Safely, to keep up the momentum.
"We focus now on improving safety on the roads and it looks like it is working," said Brig al Zafin.
The Roads and Transport Authority has said it wants to cut the number of road accidents resulting in death or serious injury by 40 per cent over the next six years.
eharnan@thenational.ae
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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