The number of fines handed out to motorists using mobile phones while behind the wheel in Dubai fell by more than a third in the first six months of the year.
Dubai Police issued 12,754 penalties from January to the end of June - down from 20,623 in the corresponding period of 2019.
Police said emirate-wide restrictions on movement in place earlier this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic had played a part in the significant reduction.
Stay-home orders were introduced in early April to help curb the spread of the virus.
The emirate's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management directed that all journeys outside of the home - including to pick up groceries - would require official approval through a permit system operated by Dubai Police.
While this specific restriction was lifted within three weeks, authorities urged members of the public to only leave their homes for essential trips in the early stages of the outbreak.
A senior officer said heightened awareness from the public over the dangers of being distracted while driving had also proven crucial to the welcome drop in fines.
Police said motorists using phones to make calls or check on social media had led to many serious road offences, such as jumping red lights and failing to stop at pedestrian crossings, some of which had tragic consequences.
“Being distracted with a mobile phone, a driver would not be able to react properly and timely to sudden and unexpected events on the road,” said Col Jumaa Salem bin Suweidan, deputy head of Dubai Traffic Police.
“If they attempt to change lanes while on the phone, they may fail to spot cars coming from behind them and that is very risky and causes tragic accidents.”
Police in the emirate have previously warned that making calls and texts is more of a danger than drunk driving.
Officials are confident that the strong message is finally hitting home, prompting a reduction in offences on Dubai's roads.
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KYLIAN MBAPPE 2016/17 STATS
Ligue 1: Appearances - 29, Goals - 15, Assists - 8
UCL: Appearances - 9, Goals - 6
French Cup: Appearances - 3, Goals - 3
France U19: Appearances - 5, Goals - 5, Assists - 1
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MATCH INFO
Scotland 59 (Tries: Hastings (2), G Horne (3), Turner, Seymour, Barclay, Kinghorn, McInally; Cons: Hastings 8)
Russia 0
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
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Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Score
Third Test, Day 2
New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)
Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings
