“Door accidents” cause vehicle owners financial losses and lawsuits

Drivers faced legal consequences as a result of their mistakes and negligence in traffic safety procedures while driving, which led to serious traffic accidents, resulting in injuries and deaths, the most prominent of which were accidents resulting from opening the vehicle doors without paying attention, not ensuring that they were closed tightly while driving, not ensuring the safety of the vehicle while it was parked, and others that endangered the lives of others.

The courts witnessed cases and civil compensation claims for serious injuries and deaths resulting from the negligence of drivers who neglected safety standards and endangered the lives and property of road users.

For his part, the legal advisor, Dr. Youssef Al-Sharif, confirmed that the law does not absolve the driver of responsibility based on the defenses of force majeure or lack of intent, if the act resulted from failure to maintain the vehicle and verify its technical safety before driving it.

He warned against engaging in the “open doors trend” behavior while driving for the purpose of photography and digital publishing, which has spread recently, stressing that these actions constitute a traffic violation and a crime that requires punishment, a fine, and judicial accountability.

In detail, data on traffic accidents witnessed on the country’s roads over the past years revealed errors and details that some consider simple, but in reality they constitute a major cause behind some serious traffic accidents and heavy financial losses that burden drivers.

The statistics of the Ministry of Interior on traffic accidents according to their causes that occurred during the past year at the state level showed that two accidents were recorded due to opening the vehicle door without attention, one accident due to not locking the doors tightly, three accidents due to failure to ensure the stability of the vehicle while parked, and 98 accidents due to reversing without ensuring that the road is clear.

Last year, a state court heard a case in which a driver at a company was accused of allowing a worker supervisor to sit next to him in the front passenger seat without fastening his seat belt or ensuring that the door was closed. While he was turning the vehicle around a roundabout in the road, the door suddenly opened and the supervisor fell from the vehicle, sustaining severe injuries that led to his death.

The Public Prosecution referred the accused to the Traffic Court on charges of accidentally causing the death of a person. The court ruled to convict him and punish him with a fine of 10,000 dirhams, and obligated him to pay a blood money of 200,000 dirhams to the family of the deceased.

A vehicle technician stated in the Public Prosecution’s investigations that it was proven, through examination of the passenger’s right front door lock, that there was a defect that prevented the door from closing normally, and required pushing it forcefully from the outside to secure it. He indicated that this procedure was not implemented when the person who had fallen was riding.

Drivers reported to Emarat Al-Youm various experiences and traffic situations regarding the most common simple mistakes that may threaten traffic safety on the roads, stressing that haste, negligence, and lack of focus are common denominators that lead directly to committing violations and causing accidents.

They stressed that neglecting simple details in following traffic safety rules, such as fastening the seat belt and ensuring that the doors are tightly closed, may cost some people their lives, in addition to large financial fines.

Rami Ezz explained that many drivers commit these lapses as a result of haste and lack of attention, noting that among the most prominent practices he monitors in this regard are side collision accidents inside parking lots resulting from opening vehicle doors without checking that the adjacent space is empty, which causes damage and distortion to the bodies of other vehicles.

Muhammad Borei agreed with him, pointing out that mistakes are not limited to drivers only, but extend to those accompanying them when getting out of the car incorrectly, as some people neglect to take the necessary precautionary step and look in the side mirror before opening the door, which may cause a sudden collision with bicycles or cars coming from behind.

Noha Salem warned that the greatest danger lies in neglecting to properly secure the car while it is parked, citing a personal experience that almost ended in disaster had it not been for divine providence, as she let her children get off in front of the school in the morning without pulling the handbrake, which led to the vehicle moving on its own and suddenly.

She stressed the importance of activating the safety lock on the rear doors, especially with the presence of children, to prevent the doors from being opened from the inside by children while the vehicle is driving, and monitoring the instrument panel and ensuring that the open doors warning light goes off completely before moving the car.

Khaled Ahmed pointed out that there are very dangerous mistakes committed by escorts, most notably opening doors impulsively and without paying attention to vehicles coming from behind on internal roads. He pointed out that he had been exposed to a similar situation earlier, stressing that underestimating these simple rules could cost some people their lives in an instant, in addition to the huge financial losses to property and car bodies.

For his part, the legal advisor, Dr. Youssef Al-Sharif, confirmed the legal responsibility for mistakes that some see as “simple” or “beyond control.” He explained that UAE law does not protect those who justify their mistakes with phrases such as “I did not mean to” or “The matter was out of my control,” as long as this matter results from negligence in vehicle maintenance or failure to verify its safety before setting off.

He pointed out that opening the door while driving, not closing it tightly, or not ensuring the stability of the vehicle while parked, all fall under the concept of “unintentional error resulting from negligence and recklessness,” according to the Federal Crimes and Penal Code and the Traffic Law.

He pointed out that the UAE legislator was keen to protect lives and the safety of bodies, and therefore endangering the lives of others is not just a traffic violation that is punishable by a fine, but may turn into a criminal offense if this negligence causes injury or death to another person, and the vehicle driver is legally obligated to ensure the safety of his vehicle and its suitability to drive without posing a danger to road users.

If it is proven that the accident occurred as a result of negligence and could have been avoided with a simple check such as ensuring that the doors are closed, the vehicle driver and owner will bear civil liability (financial compensation) and criminal liability as well.

As for showy and reckless movements, such as opening doors for the sake of “trend” and posting on social media sites, Al-Sharif stressed that the issue here is not just negligence, but has moved to intentionality, as some vehicle drivers or even passengers opening doors while driving with the aim of filming video clips and publishing them on social media platforms in search of fame or disdain, is behavior that does not only represent disdain for societal values, but is a blatant challenge to the law.

He stressed that in these cases, the law does not deal with those who are unintentionally wrong, but rather the act is adapted as driving a vehicle in a way that poses a danger to the public or exposes their lives or money to danger. It is a violation whose punishment amounts to impounding the vehicle, imposing large financial fines, recording black traffic points, and transferring the file to the Public Prosecution and the judiciary.

Moreover, using these videos and publishing them on social media sites falls under the category of cybercrimes punishable by the Anti-Rumor and Cybercrime Law. Publishing these clips that document dangerous behavior or incite a violation of the law places the account holder subject to severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment. Therefore, a “trend” that takes a few seconds to film may cost its owner years of remorse behind bars, and financial losses that will burden him throughout his life.

2000 dirhams, 23 traffic points, and vehicle impoundment for 60 days, penalty for endangering the lives of others.

Abu Dhabi Police warned that opening vehicle doors while driving or filming video clips for the purpose of achieving fame and increasing followers are reckless practices that could lead to serious accidents.

She stressed that these actions violate traffic laws and regulations and constitute a direct threat to road users, calling for the need to be responsible and adhere to safe behaviors while driving.

She stressed that the competent authorities will not hesitate to take legal measures against violators, and the value of the violation of endangering the lives of others is 2,000 dirhams, recording 23 traffic points, and impounding the vehicle for a period of 60 days, with a payment of 50,000 dirhams to release the impoundment.