Drunk Driver Charged AED 500,000 by Insurance Provider After Fatal Car Crash in UAE

A man who had gone drinking and got involved in a fatal car crash has been ordered to pay AED 500,000 to an insurance company, which provided compensation to the victims’ families.

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One person died and another got injured during the incident according to the police who responded to the scene of the accident.

Drunk Driver Charged AED 500,000 by Insurance Provider After Fatal Car Crash in UAE

Drunk Driver Ordered to Pay AED 500,000 to Insurance Firm After Fatal Car Crash in UAE

Investigations revealed that the man was driving under the influence of alcohol when the fatal crash happened, the Khaleej Times reported.

The two victims were both his passengers. One of them died on the spot while the other one spent months in the hospital to recover from severe injuries.

The insurance firm that covered the man’s vehicle had settled the blood money to the family of the deceased as well as compensation that had to be paid to the injured passenger. All these expenses amounted to AED 496,000, the court records showed.

Following the incident, the insurance firm then filed a lawsuit against the driver, ordering him to pay back the money it shelled out for the compensation. The company argued that the accident was caused by the man’s recklessness and failure to abide by traffic rules.

The Abu Dhabi Court of First Instance has issued a ruling, ordering the driver to cover the expenses paid by his insurance provider worth half a million dinar, including payment for all legal expenses incurred by the plaintiff.

On top of the charges filed by the insurance firm, drunk drivers in the UAE are also subject to criminal sanctions which include imprisonment and/or a minimum fine of twenty thousand dinar (AED 20,000) as per article No. 49.6 of the Traffic Law.

The law in the UAE has made it clear that it has zero-tolerance for this type of misconduct which has the potential to endanger one’s life as well as others who may be involved, as in the case of the man arrested.

For those who drive a car in the UAE, it is best to always follow traffic rules and to adhere to safe driving protocols so as not to endanger any lives including yours as well as those whom you might encounter on the road.

ALSO READ: List of Traffic Driving Violations and Fines by RTA Dubai