Sharjah sees a decline in fatal accidents

Director-General of Sharjah Police denied the existence of workshops that modify car engines, motors and tyres in the emirate.

Major-General Humaid Mohammed Al Hadidi said if at all there are any such workshops operating in Sharjah they are illegal and the concerned departments are taking action againt such offenders.

Sharjah Police has been successful in reducing fatal accidents this year, according to Al Hadidi. The number of traffic deaths this year fell to 139 compared to 152 in 2009. And this is despite increased number in the last two weeks.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference to launch the campaign of 'Security awareness training for students of schools in Sharjah'.

He called on drivers to deal with specialists and not unlicenced workshops.

There has been 6,620 violations recorded in Sharjah in a week. Al Hadidi said that fines will not be reduced as that would encourage vioaltors to contibue seeing illegal ways.

Al Hadidi denied rumours that the goal of the current open-ended traffic campaign is to collect  money. It is to protect the lives of people on the roads, he added and said that the cost of installing radars and their administrative cost is more than the amount collected from offenders.

One vehicle can be given two fines at the same time if the driver is guilty of installing illegal accessories as well as violating radars.

Al Hadidi also spoke about a plan to build 12 pedestrian bridges and a new prison in Al Maleeha area at a cost of half-a-billion dirhams.

This year five new police stations were inaugurated and in 2011 another five stations will be opened, he added.

Meanwhile, two new social support and police community centres will be opened in the next couple of weeks, to support families of prisoners.