Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, Director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, revealed that the number of smart radar devices operating on the emirate’s roads has reached 150 since the system was introduced in 2020. These devices are a key pillar in enhancing road safety, improving traffic security, and achieving targets aimed at reducing road fatalities, he added.Smart radars are not limited to monitoring speeding violations, he said. They also detect a range of dangerous violations and behaviours, including stopping in the middle of the road without justification, failing to remain within the designated lane, sudden lane deviations, failing to give priority to pedestrians, using a mobile phone while driving, not wearing a seat belt, failing to maintain a safe following distance, and obstructing traffic flow.Brigadier Juma bin Suwaidan explained that the initial phase of the smart radar system saw an increase in the number of violations recorded by the devices. However, this figure gradually declined over time, indicating the success of the initiative and the growing compliance of road users with traffic laws and regulations.The General Department of Traffic maintains annual and periodic statistics for each type of violation and conducts regular comparisons to measure the impact of smart radars on reducing dangerous violations, traffic accidents, and serious injuries.Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, Director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai PoliceThe department has clear performance indicators and objectives related to reducing fatalities and enhancing road security through technology, Brigadier Juma Salem added. Smart radars play a central role in achieving these goals, while also helping to improve driver behaviour by encouraging seat belt use, discouraging mobile phone use while driving, and promoting safe following distances between vehicles.He noted that the department’s annual plans aim to cover all traffic hotspots across the emirate, with priority given to locations where monitoring or complaints indicate the presence of unsafe practices and behaviours by drivers and other road users.He added that the department also coordinates with real estate development companies to expand coverage within their areas, including residential communities and commercial and tourist destinations. These efforts focus on locations where complaints have been received regarding unsafe driving behaviours and disturbances affecting residents and visitors.Regarding the safety of delivery bike riders, Brigadier Juma bin Suwaidan said that Dubai Police, through the General Department of Traffic, is committed to raising awareness on a continuous basis. This includes sending traffic awareness teams to delivery rider locations and organising educational workshops and live awareness sessions to promote a culture of road safety.He explained that current awareness campaigns for delivery bike riders focus on adhering to speed limits, wearing protective safety equipment, avoiding mobile phone use while riding, following designated routes, and maintaining a safe distance from other road users.He stressed that Dubai Police continues to develop safety systems for delivery bikes by leveraging smart technologies, including monitoring systems and smart cameras, to strengthen compliance with traffic laws and reduce dangerous behaviours.
