Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai General Chat

This is really productive in all aspects.

the community with the police cooperation, the finding solution instead of only settling for pointing at the problem and taking responsibility toward your community. Many people here should learn something from her..

7 days today...



As a teenager became the latest victim of a fatal road traffic accident, safe drivers are set to be given cash rewards.

In a bid to crackdown on dangerous driving a road safety campaign was launched at Sharjah Women’s College yesterday which will see motorists who are observed driving safely given a dhs750 cash reward. Last year 1,071 people died on the UAE’s roads.

Jumeirah College student Charlotte Louise Morgan, 15, was one of the latest road victims after being mown down in Mirdif on Wednesday.

Sharjah Police Director of Operations Colonel Mohamed Eid Al-Madhloun who attended the launch said that Sharjah police will be stepping up road safety patrols. He said: “Sharjah police supports this initiative. Too many young people are killed unnecessarily on our roads.”

The campaign known as ‘The Caltex Roadstar Contest’ will run until April 15 in Sharjah, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Overall dhs60,000 will be dished out to good drivers.

A Roadstar Lexus patrol vehicle will observe drivers and stop those who are driving safely and give them the cash prize and a certificate. Drivers will be judged on criteria which includes their ability to observe the speed limit and lane discipline, use of indicators, wearing seat belts, use of child restraints, use of hands free mobiles and displaying courtesy.

“Sharjah Higher Colleges are privileged to be able to support this campaign. It is an extension of our own annual Al Noor Road Safety Campaign which commemorates three college students who died in road accidents,” Dr Ohan said.

A 19-year-old Emirati driver is still under investigation for running over Charlotte.

Prosecutor Salah Bu Farousha said the investigation will finish within a week. “Tests for alcohol were negative. His primary charges are wrongly causing the death of a pedestrian and damaging public property,” he said.

Rewarding "responsible" drivers is not new. I believe Dubai does it for about a week every year.

I don't see why people should be rewarded for doing what is expected. What should be done is to have a one law that would apply to everyone where the penalty is the same with no exceptions. Reckless driving that results in the death of an individual is not an accident it is more like murder.

I dont see why people should be rewarded for doing what's expected either???
Kind of like getting a cookie for not committing a crime!



However, if it helps ease the unsafe driving, I'm all for it!

Indeed the Roadstar campaign runs every year doing the same thing. And I have to agree, instead of rewarding people for driving as they should be. The authorities should be getting much tougher on the people who drive like idiots on the roads, cause accidents, injury and death!

Public flogging, wouldn't be a bad idea!

I agree Chocs, public flogging would be good, but very much doubt it would be used.

As has been mentioned in the press recently: Community Service. Make those who break the law do community service i.e. sweep streets, clean litter bins etc, put them in the public eye where they can be seen by their peers.

Its amazing what affect this can have on someone.

Paying people to do what they should be doing is daft and a waste of money. I have been driving the roads of the UAE for over 4 years (60,000km per year), and have never once had an accident, does that entitle me to a reward?

yorky500 wrote:I agree Chocs, public flogging would be good, but very much doubt it would be used.

As has been mentioned in the press recently: Community Service. Make those who break the law do community service i.e. sweep streets, clean litter bins etc, put them in the public eye where they can be seen by their peers.

Its amazing what affect this can have on someone.

Paying people to do what they should be doing is daft and a waste of money. I have been driving the roads of the UAE for over 4 years (60,000km per year), and have never once had an accident, does that entitle me to a reward?

Agree on all counts.


Oh, and 240,000km and no infractions?

I think they should get locals and anyone else willing to speak, who have been the cause of an accident, at high schools and universities and talk about the experience and the impact it had on them, assuming there is regret.

The stories and photos in the papers aren't a deterent. The relaxed laws imposed on Emiratis don't set an example. Maybe hearing from someone who truly is sorry about their actions could bring awareness.

Its a sad way to die and condolences to Charlotte's family, I drive everyday from sharjah to dubai and my 3 main rules are

1) Do not hit anyone.t hit anyone.
2) Do not hit any other vehicle.
3) Avoid getting hit by any crazy driver.

there are loads of them on sharjah roads, by the time I reach dubai I see some sanity prevailing on the roads of dubai, I generally keep away from the abu dhabi and sharjah number plated cars...worst drivers there and I can say that by experience...

anyway back to the subject, I also don't dig the idea of bribing drivers to do their duty which is to keep it safe for everyone and this is never going to be a permanent solution to the problem.

As far as I am concerned, they should build a bloody great big wall around sharjah and fill it with water.

yorky500 wrote:As far as I am concerned, they should build a bloody great big wall around sharjah and fill it with water.

I can think of one or two other places where the same thing would be a welcome relief