Over 30,000 'mobile phone' offences by Abu Dhabi drivers

Abu Dhabi motorists committed more than 30,000 offences involving the use of mobile phones while driving in 2013 despite tough penalties and awareness campaigns.

Police said such offences were one of the key causes of accidents in the emirate, which already has one of the world’s worst traffic records.

“The number of offences involving the use of mobile phones while driving totaled 30,085 last year,” said Lt Colonel Jamal Al Amiri, PR director at Abu Dhabi traffic police.

He said there are plans to intensify police patrol on roads and increase education campaigns for drivers, adding that 12 awareness programmes had been approved by the interior ministry for this year.