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Abu Dhabi: Police here have warned road travellers to avoid overloading their vehicles.
The maximum permitted height of the load is 60 centimetres. However, large numbers of travellers were found to be flouting the regulations, prompting the police to confiscate the vehicles for up to a week.
Citing overloading as one of the main reasons for accidents close to the border points, the police have started distributing awareness leaflets to travellers to curb the malpractice.
Patrols have been intensified in the Abu Dhabi-Ghweifat highway, which witnesses heavy traffic during the vacation season.
"We are vigilant 24 hours to ensure the safety of the travellers," said Major Ahmad Abdullah Al Shamsi, the Head of traffic department in the western region.
Over the past two weeks, more than 47,246 vehicles crossed the Ghweifat border point. Of this, 24,912 were tourist vehicles and 22,334 were trucks.
This number is expected to increase steeply, he noted. These two weeks saw 13 accidents injuring 20 people. One person suffered serious injuries.
"Some people do not follow safety procedures and this is the main cause of accidents," he said urging motorists to follow the speed limit and to be extra careful while driving overnight or during the early hours of the morning.
Penalties for overloaded vehicles
- Fine: Dh200
- Black points on licence: 3
- Vehicles may be confiscated for up to a week
- Maximum permitted height of load: 60cm
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