10 cases that require vehicle impoundment in Abu Dhabi

Ahmed Abed Abu Dhabi

The day before yesterday, the Abu Dhabi Police General Command began implementing Law No. (5) of 2020 regarding vehicle impoundment in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which requires perpetrators of serious traffic violations in 10 cases to pay fees between 5 thousand and 50 thousand dirhams, to release the vehicle impoundment.

Abu Dhabi Police stated that the new impoundment mechanism begins first with paying the value of the traffic violation and the expiration of the impoundment period stipulated in the Federal Traffic Law, then paying the fees for releasing the impoundment stipulated in Local Law No. (5) of 2020 regarding the impoundment of vehicles in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

She explained that if the violator does not pay the fees to release the impoundment within three months, the vehicle will be sold at a public auction, and if the value of the vehicle sold is not enough to pay the due fees and fines, the violator will not be exempted from them, but the remaining amounts will be added to his traffic file. Noting that notifications will be sent to violators before selling the seized vehicles via text messages and advertisements in daily newspapers.

In detail, as of the day before yesterday, the Abu Dhabi Police General Command began implementing Law No. 5 of 2020 regarding the seizure of vehicles in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The Abu Dhabi Police decision specified 10 cases for which fees will be imposed to release a vehicle impoundment, with the value of releasing a vehicle impoundment amounting to 50,000 dirhams in five cases: hitting a police patrol or causing damage to it, preventing participation in road races without a permit, and if the number plates are artificial or counterfeit. Or rammed, crossing a red light, and driving the vehicle in a way that endangers the life, safety or security of the driver or the lives, safety or security of others.

The value of releasing the impoundment is 5,000 dirhams in three cases: causing an accident due to speed, sudden deviation, not leaving a sufficient safety distance, not giving way to pedestrians, allowing a child under the age of 10 to sit in the front seat of the vehicle, and exceeding the posted speed limit. At more than 60 km/h.

The decision set the financial value in two other cases for releasing a vehicle’s impoundment: the first, in the case of making changes to its engine or chassis without a license, at 10,000 dirhams, and in the rest of the cases of seizure, it amounts to 100 dirhams for each violation for which the vehicle was decided to be impounded. The Director of the Central Operations Sector, Brigadier General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, said in a press conference yesterday that the law does not conflict with the Federal Traffic Law and was the result of careful studies of the reality of accident statistics and traffic violations committed by drivers during the past years with the aim of enhancing traffic safety and increasing violations while increasing the number of traffic violations. Vehicles, urban development, and reducing violations.

Al Khaili stated that the Traffic and Patrols Directorate is constantly working to review and update the list of applicable legislation and regulations according to the traffic reality and has studied the most serious violations that cause accidents, with the aim of deterring reckless drivers by increasing penalties and enhancing traffic safety, noting that the number of accidents that occurred due to repeated violations that were amended In Law No. 5 of 2020, there were 894 traffic accidents that led to the death of 66 people during the year 2019, including 64 serious accidents, 716 moderate accidents, and 543 minor accidents.

He pointed out that the death rate due to these behaviors out of total deaths last year amounted to 35.5%, and the rate of serious injuries was 49.6%.

Al Khaili explained that the law came to increase fines to avoid the occurrence of traffic accidents and reduce the violations of reckless drivers, which will reflect positively on reducing the causes of deaths in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, stressing the interest of the Abu Dhabi Police and through social media sites in publishing videos explaining the dangerous negative effects resulting from the occurrence of these violations, and the deaths they cause. Injuries vary between minor, moderate and severe.

He stated that drivers must pay traffic violations in full if the value of the traffic violations imposed on the vehicle exceeds 7,000 dirhams.

Increase the penalty for violators

Deputy Director of the Central Operations Sector, Brigadier General Ahmed Abdullah Al Shehhi, confirmed that Abu Dhabi Police worked to study the gradual increase in penalties to catch violators on the roads, indicating that the more violations increased, the more accidents occurred, and deterrent measures were necessary to enhance traffic safety, reduce the occurrence of accidents, and spread awareness of the application. Conscious and safe traffic driving protects innocent traffic-bound drivers from the seriousness of the consequences of these accidents that cause deaths and serious injuries.

He stressed the importance of defensive driving on the roads, noting the Abu Dhabi Police’s interest in enhancing traffic awareness, holding specialized workshops, and introducing the public to the best ways to enhance their traffic safety in accordance with their commitment to traffic laws and regulations through Abu Dhabi Police’s social media platforms.

• The value of releasing the seizure ranges from 5,000 dirhams to 50,000, and the violator is not exempt from paying it.