Use of smartphones while driving causes road accidents

One of the main causes of road accidents is reckless driving along with smartphone use. More than 100,000 drivers in the emirate have been convicted of the offense in the past six months, which is punishable by a Dh800 fine and four black points.

High-tech radars across the emirate's roads can detect mobile phone violations, and smart patrols with advanced systems monitor compliance.

Major Mohammed Dahi Al Humiri, director of the Traffic and Patrol Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police, said many of the thousands fined for the crime were talking on the phone or texting.

At a time when more and more services and multimedia content can be accessed with a tap or swipe, many people are glued to their phones. The police pointed out that this has become a big nuisance for the drivers.

Police said some were chatting on social media, browsing the internet, and taking pictures or videos while driving - a flagrant violation of traffic rules.