Are you driving sir? Sorry, no more drinks for you

Fatal incidents involving intoxicated motorists is a major concern, according to a top traffic official, who said now the hospitality sector is being targetted to help reduce mortality rates on roads. 

Major-General Mohammed Saif Al Zaffin, Director of Dubai Traffic, said though the numbers are lower when compared to the US (where about 50 per cent deaths on roads are caused by intoxicated drivers), it is proving to be a challenge to the emirate's 2020 strategy, which aims to reduce fatal traffic mishaps to zero per 100,000 residents.

As part of Dubai Police's awareness campaign, hotel staff are being trained to deal with customers who consume alcohol. Managers have been instructed not to let inebriated customers drive their vehicles. Hotels have been urged to offer alternative solutions to drunk customers - such as staying back at the hotel; offer to being driven by one of the hotel staff; or hailing a cab, said Al Zaffin.

Brochures describing the legal implications and penalties involved if caught driving under the influence of alcohol are also being distributed in hotels and other places.

If a normal driver takes about 0.7 to one second to react to emergencies on raod, a drunk one will take at least five seconds, which could prove fatal, explained Al Zaffin.

If the first nine months of last year saw three deaths, the same period in 2011 witnessed 11 traffic-related deaths involving inebriated drivers, which is an increase of 26 per cent. The increased numbers account for 11.6 per cent of total fatal traffic mishaps (95 deaths in 9 months) in Dubai.

Meanwhile, the number of injuries (about 68) resulting from such mishaps have been the same these two years.

According to the federal traffic law motorists caught driving under the influence of alcohol will receive 24 black points and have their vehicles impounded for two months.

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