The number of violations has nearly reached the total for the whole of last year

Dubai traffic police have issued a total of 37,520 fines to drivers for not wearing a seatbelt in the first seven months of 2017.

By comparison, 2016 saw a total of 42,291 violations for the year, meaning we’ve nearly caught up with last year’s total and it’s only July. That’s definitely not good news.

In an article in The National, Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, director of Dubai traffic police, is quoted talking about the importance of buckling up, saying “Traffic studies indicate that the use of seatbelts reduces fatalities,” he then adds, “Wearing a seatbelt also reduces severe injuries when there’s a collision, as it absorbs part of the crash’s force on the driver and passengers.”

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Out of the nearly 38,000 fines issued, 1,077 of them were given to drivers on the spot, with the rest picked up by radars.

Thankfully, the breakdown of fines by month shows a noticeable drop off between May (6,352 fines), June (2,759 fines) and July (2,621 fines) which can be attributed to the new UAE traffic laws that came into effect on 1 July.

Part of the new law stipulates that all passengers in a vehicle are now required to wear a seatbelt at all times, with a penalty of Dhs400 and four black points awarded to any offending drivers.

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Photos: Getty