Driver faces Dhs3m diya for causing 17 deaths

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A bus driver behind the death of 17 and injury of 13 passengers should pay Dhs3 million worth blood money, prosecutors asked the Dubai Traffic Court on Wednesday.

The Omani driver, 53, was driving at more than twice the speed limit in an undesignated lane -from Oman to Dubai- when he rammed the bus into a height barrier at Rashidiyah exit towards the metro station on June 6.

The Dubai Traffic Prosecution referred him to the Dubai Traffic Court accusing him of having caused the death of 17 passengers, inflicting 13 with varying bodily injuries and damaging the bus as a result of the impact.

The crime carries a penalty of up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine and paying Dhs3, 400, 000 blood money (diya) to heirs of the deceased, said the Head of the Dubai Traffic Prosecution, Salah Bu Faroucha Al Felaasi.

That day, the Dubai Attorney General Essam Eissa Al Humaidan dispatched a high-ranking team to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road to investigate the tragedy in coordination Rashidiyah Police Station officers.

Al Felaasi explained that the inspection team examined the four-lane road leading to the entrance of the Rashidiyah Metro Station. There were two lanes on the right of the road dedicated to heavy buses and taxis

The other two lanes on the left side were dedicated to light vehicles. There were two large-sized signboards to alert motorists to use compulsory routes and a signboard showing the speed limit was strictly 40 km / h.

During prosecution questioning, the driver admitted the mistake of not following road signs nor using the compulsory route of the bus in a manner that he caused deaths and injuries to 30 passengers of different nationalities.

Investigations and technical reports revealed the accused was driving along the second lane from the left dedicated for the light vehicles, at a speed of 94 km / h, a speed exceeding the prescribed speed more than twice.

He first hit a road height restriction barrier then collided with another iron structure that smashed the left side of the bus. 15 died on the spot. The bus stopped 44 metres away. The injured were rushed to hospital.

Al Felaasi expressed sincere condolences to families of the deceased in this painful situation and wished the injured speedy recovery. He appealed to all drivers to exercise maximum caution, and abide by the rules of safe driving to maintain the safety of all road users.