Sharjah Police nab motorist for reckless driving

Sharjah Police apprehended a driver who committed serious traffic violations, including reckless and negligent driving in a residential area of the Emirate.

Upon receiving the report, the competent authorities instantly started procedures, utilising a video clip which documented the incident via surveillance cameras, in cooperation with residents of the area, which contributed to quickly identifying the vehicle and taking legal action against its driver.

Sharjah Police clarified that reckless and negligent driving is considered a serious violation punishable by law according to Article 1, which penalises the motorist for driving a vehicle in a way which endangers his life or the lives of or security of others, or driving it in a way which could cause damage to public or private facilities, with a fine of Dhs2,000, 23 traffic points, and vehicle impoundment for 60 days, in addition to impoundment release fees amounting to Dhs15,000.

The police added that Article 73 of the Traffic and Road Law stipulates that the violation of making unauthorised changes to the vehicle's engine or chassis incurs a fine of Dhs1,000, 12 traffic points, vehicle impoundment for 90 days, and impoundment release fees of Dhs5,000.

The Police urged the public to report negative behaviour through its official channels, or via the call centre at 999 for emergencies, and 901 for non-emergencies.

Early this year, the Sharjah Misdemeanour Court heard a case involving a Gulf national accused of jeopardizing a girl's safety through reckless driving. The defendant denied any awareness of the allegations.

The victim, referred to as "R.L.," reported being harassed by the accused while driving. According to her statement, he deliberately slammed on his brakes suddenly in front of her vehicle and engaged in reckless driving, putting her and her passengers' lives at risk. This compelled her to stop and file a report with the police.

In response to the charges, the defendant claimed no knowledge of the incident and requested more time to examine the case files.