The Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. ARCHIVE

A Dubai court has sentenced an Asian man to one month in jail after he was caught driving under the influence of alcohol and without a valid UAE driving license on Sheikh Zayed Road. The Dubai Court of Misdemeanors heard that the incident took place in October last year, when a policeman on patrol spotted the man driving recklessly on the main highway. “He was subsequently caught on Sheikh Zayed Road while heading to a shopping mall in the Dubai Marina area,” the officer testified. The police officer said that when he stopped the defendant’s vehicle and requested a driving license, the driver admitted he did not have one and had taken the car without the owner's knowledge. The officer proceeded to search the vehicle as a precautionary measure but found no illegal substances. However, he noted that the defendant was slurring his speech, prompting officers to conduct an alcohol test, which confirmed that he was intoxicated. The man was immediately arrested and taken into custody. During interrogations, he confessed that he had consumed alcoholic beverages before driving. Court records show that the defendant was formally charged with driving under the influence, operating a vehicle without a license, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Under UAE law, drunk driving is a serious offense punishable by fines, imprisonment, and license revocation. The country has a zero-tolerance policy on alcohol consumption while driving, with offenders facing heavy penalties. ICA/Expat Media
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