Dubai - Dec. 22: Police will give chase to dangerous drivers from Friday, December 22 in a bid to clean up Dubai’s roads. Thirty-seven traffic police officers have already been trained in high-speed pursuits, and more are on the way, police warned. Police have always avoided chasing motorists in the past for fear that it would simply increase the chances of an accident.

But following an order from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, to crack down on the city’s increasingly dangerous roads, police have been granted the powers to use more aggressive measures. “After Sheikh Mohammad’s instructions we implemented a strategy to reduce the lethal traffic accidents and make Dubai’s roads safe,” said Brigadier Jamal Al Marri, deputy commandant general of Dubai police.

“We have trained these 37 police drivers to a very high level in order to chase reckless drivers who don’t stop. “They can chase them and control their vehicles without causing a danger to other motorists,” he said.

Since the crackdown began in November it appeared things were improving. There were 19 deaths on the roads in November - down 42 per cent compared to the previous month.

But so far in December, there has already been 25 deaths – and there is more than a week left for the total to rise. Al Marri praised the newly-acquired skills of the police drivers, and said there is plenty more to come. “Our aim is to provide support for all police drivers by increasing their skills,” he said. The drivers were trained in skills such as high-speed maneuvering, reaction to emergency situations and controlling skids.

It’s also understood that police are pushing for a drastic increase in the cost of traffic fines in order to further deter reckless driving.

Courtesy : Seven Days