UAE: Over Rs 1 lakh fine for leaving children unattended in car

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi police have reminded residents of the imposition of a fine of 5,000 Dirham (Rs 1,08,798) for those who leave the children unattended in cars.

Police said parents should not leave their children inside cars unattended, even if for a few minutes to visit a store. This is a crime punishable by law, they reiterated.

Abu Dhabi Police have reported several previous incidents of children getting trapped in cars or forgetting children sleeping in the back seat. This resulted in tragedies on a number of occasions as children may die from suffocation or heat stroke inside the car, especially with high summer temperatures.

Dubai Police data shows that 53 children were left alone in vehicles in 2020, and four cases were reported each month.

In the first seven months of 2021, 39 children were rescued after being left behind in locked cars.

Research from Stanford University School of Medicine shows that the temperature inside a parked car can quickly reach life-threatening levels, even on a relatively cold day.

The temperature inside a car can reach 47 degrees Celsius if it is parked for one hour in direct sunlight and it is at least 35 degrees Celsius outside.

Following fines and penalties for failing to keep children safe in vehicles

• 5,000 Dirham (Rs 1,08,798) fine for leaving children unattended in a car. Offenders could also be jailed.

• 400 Dirham (Rs 8,703) fine for failing to secure children under four years old in a car seat, or for placing children under 10 years old in the front passenger seat.

• In addition, the UAE penalizes putting children at risk under Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 on the rights of the child, known as the Wadima Law. Neglect of children in any form is punishable by law and can impose prison sentences and heavy fines on violators.