Dubai: Special needs permits should only be given to drivers who have disabilities that affect their ability to move and not as a permit for the vehicles used by people with disabilities, the Federal Traffic Council (FTC) recommended on Thursday.
“There is a shortage in handicapped parking, and people who need it most sometimes cannot find a parking space,” Maj Gen Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Head of the FTC and Assistant to the Dubai Police Chief for Operations Affairs, said.
Under the current rules, a handicapped parking permit is given to vehicles and allows its holders to use handicapped parking.
He said that the recommendation also includes that the information be included on the driver’s licence.
“If one of the passengers has a disability that makes it hard for him/her to walk, then the driver would assist them, as priority will be given to drivers with disabilities. The licensing authority will be in charge of giving out the permits, based on a medical report,” he explained.
Earlier, the council recommended there should be regulations on people with illness that can affect their ability to drive.
“In Australia medical authorities report cases that they think would pose a risk on the road due to their medical condition to licence-issuing authorities. We recommended that this should be done here,” he said.
Another recommendation was to collaborate with Customs to distribute traffic awareness brochures to visitors coming from land ports into the UAE, to teach them about traffic rules and regulations in the country.
Maj Gen Al Zafein added that they passed a recommendation to install traffic lights at every pedestrian crossing.
The practice of traffic fines labelled in absentia or in the presence of the violator will be cancelled if the recommendation made on Thursday passes, he said.
“This point has caused a lot of confusion. The only difference between getting a fine in absentia or when one is present is who will get the black points associated with some of the fines. With the new recommendation people will just declare who was driving the vehicle at the time of the violation. There will be no classification of fines as in absentia or otherwise,” Maj Gen Al Zafein said.
