Lt. Colonel Jamal Salem Al Amri, Chief of Public Relations Section in the Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police, announced that running red lights accounted for 11% of traffic accidents during the first quarter of this year and is among the leading causes of traffic accidents in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi Traffic and Patrols Departments called on motorists to reduce their speed when traffic lights turn from green to yellow before turning to red. The department stressed the severity of traffic accidents due to running a traffic light at a high speed; it leads to serious collisions with vehicles coming from other directions and can result in deaths and severe injuries.
On the occasion of the Arab Traffic Week, which is held under the slogan: "My Safety, My Responsibility," Lt. Colonel Al Amri urged motorists to reduce speeds at intersections. "Running a red light is the sole responsibility of the motorist; he puts his own life and the lives of others at risk of dangerous collisions between vehicles coming from different directions at intersections," added Al Amri.
Furthermore, he called on motorists to bring their vehicles to a complete stop when the traffic light is red. "According to the Federal Traffic Law, running a red light carries a fine of AED 800, a penalty of eight black points, and vehicle impoundment for a period of 15 days. Traffic fines can be issued in person and in absentia," concluded Al Amri.
The Abu Dhabi Traffic and Patrols Department has installed a new system to monitor red signal offenders and those who enter the yellow box of the intersection. Forty cameras have been placed at different junctions in Abu Dhabi; these are advanced surveillance cameras and can operate around-the-clock to monitor traffic around the intersection and accurately film cars that run red lights