UAE police warns motorists against selfies-on-wheels

The selfie craze while driving on high-speed highways in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has led the police to launch a new safe-driving campaign in Sharjah, media reported.

Describing the latest trend of clicking self-portraits while behind the wheel as "sheer madness", Abdul Rahman Khatr, director of communications at Sharjah Police Traffic Department, said statistics showed most major accidents were due to using mobile phones while driving, Gulf News reported Sunday.

"The number one activity that should be occurring while you are behind the wheel is driving. Put the camera down and wait until you arrive at a safe destination. Do not let that driving selfie or video be the last photo you ever take," the report quoted Khatr as saying.

According to Khatr, a selfie taken with a hand-held camera have topped the traffic offences in the Emirate.

"Selfie photos have gotten a lot of attention lately," he noted.

Under the new campaign, titled "Focus on the Road While Driving", Sharjah Police has launched a crackdown on drivers who use their mobile phones while driving.

As many as 8,154 motorists were fined for mobile phone offences in the past seven months in the Emirate.

The campaign is aimed at focusing on the causes of road accidents to enhance the safety of motorists as part of a strategic plan of the UAE's interior ministry.