UAE summer: Fujairah Police warn parents against leaving kids unattended in vehicles
The initiative, titled Your Children Are Your Responsibility – Don't Leave Them in the Vehicle Unattended, is part of the Ministry of Interior's third-quarter national safety drive, Summer Without Accidents.
It addresses the serious risks children face when left unattended in parked cars, including suffocation and heatstroke due to rapidly rising interior temperatures — especially in the UAE's extreme summer heat.
The goal is to promote a sense of community responsibility in preventing such accidents and to help achieve the highest levels of safety and protection for all, especially children, according to the authority.
Colonel Saleh Mohammed Abdullah Al Dhanhani, Director of the Traffic and Patrols Department at Fujairah Police, stressed that the campaign's core message is to raise awareness among parents and drivers about the importance of never leaving children alone in vehicles under any circumstances.
He also stressed the importance of following safety guidelines and complying with traffic laws, noting that the responsibility for protecting children is a shared one — starting with families and extending to all segments of society.
Al-Dhanhani added that the department is committed to using a variety of awareness tools, most notably field messages and electronic flyers, in addition to collaborating with media outlets to disseminate warning messages.
Dubai also highlighted the grave danger of leaving children unattended inside vehicles, warning that this behaviour can result in suffocation and death within minutes.
In the UAE, under Article 35 of the Wadeema Law, leaving children unattended in vehicles is a punishable offence. Depending on the severity and circumstances, offenders may face a fine of up to Dh5,000 and/or imprisonment. In cases involving endangerment to life and safety, penalties can rise to Dh10,000 and/or jail time, based on the judge's discretion.
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