More than 244,000 Dubai drivers have clean driving records so far this year after not committing a single traffic offence, police said on Tuesday.
Dubai Police hailed the encouraging figures at an event announcing the results of its annual “white points” campaign, which rewards motorists for driving safely.
The road safety campaign was launched in 2013, when only 10,371 drivers went through the year without flouting rules or picking up a speeding fine.
The latest statistics represent a sharp increase on the 175,896 who had exemplary driving records in 2021, although this figure was for the entire calendar year.
Drivers of vehicles registered in Dubai are eligible for prizes for keeping points and penalties off their licences.
“There is a huge increase in the number of good drivers in Dubai,” said Lt Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police.
“It is an important initiative and a good channel between the force and the community members. It rewards safe drivers and sends a positive message for others.”
Drivers receive two white points for each month they do not commit a traffic offence.
Dubai Police held a draw to pick 4,600 of the 244,446 drivers to be rewarded with gifts and vouchers, with two Emirati women winning new cars.
“We introduced the ‘white points’ system to motivate drivers to abide by traffic laws and regulations. White points are rewarded to drivers who have not committed a road violation and do not have any pending fines.”
Brig Jumaa bin Suwaidan, deputy director of Dubai Police's traffic department, said prize winners would be given the opportunity to remove some minor offences off their record.
Safest drivers aged over 40
The white point drivers included 194,920 men and 49,526 women, with the total figure including 136,832 Asian drivers and 49,271 from Arab countries.
There were 12,351 Emirati motorists.
The safest age group was those 41 and over, who made up 119,431 of those with unblemished records this year.
Accidents down in Dubai
Twenty-seven people were killed and 655 were injured in road accidents in Dubai during the first half of the year, a significant decline from the same period of last year, when 61 people died and 1,100 were injured.
Police said that 2,285 vehicles were involved in road accidents in the first six months of this year, down from 3,749 in the corresponding period last year.
A Dubai smart traffic management system which has helped cut accident response times and congestion is to expand across the emirate's main road network.
The second phase of the Intelligent Transports Systems project will begin in the coming months, the Roads and Transport Authority said in October, and will see the total length of roads covered go from 480 kilometres to 710km.
The initial phase saw coverage extend to 60 per cent of the emirate’s road infrastructure.
“The project has improved incident monitoring by 63 per cent, shortened the response time to emergencies by 30 per cent, and cut the travel time by 20 per cent,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the RTA's board of executive directors.
“The first phase of the project had seen several achievements highlighted by the construction of the Dubai ITS Centre.
“This facility is one of the largest and most sophisticated traffic control centres worldwide in terms of using smart technology, managing traffic systems, and supporting both current and future transportation modes.”
The centre’s system collects and analyses data to help ensure the smooth flow of traffic and help make instant decisions when it comes to accidents and “mega events” in the city.
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
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If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
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Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
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Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh289,000
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
How to tell if your child is being bullied at school
Sudden change in behaviour or displays higher levels of stress or anxiety
Shows signs of depression or isolation
Ability to sleep well diminishes
Academic performance begins to deteriorate
Changes in eating habits
Struggles to concentrate
Refuses to go to school
Behaviour changes and is aggressive towards siblings
Begins to use language they do not normally use
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
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Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
