In Dubai, you can be fined big time for keeping child in locked car

Keeping kids inside the car unattended while guardians quickly run for a few errands is common around the world. If checked strictly, many will be found guilty of doing this although no one seems to come under any form of scrutiny. However, the Abu Dhabi police are taking this very seriously. Officials have stated that if kids are left inside a vehicle unattended, a fine of 5,000 Dirham (approximately ₹1.8 lakh) will be imposed.

Parents have been advised to not leave children inside cars without supervision even for a few minutes. This is a crime punishable by law, officials reiterated. The Abu Dhabi police have reported many incidents that happened earlier where kids left unsupervised in cars suffered from acute medical conditions, even deaths in a few cases owing to to suffocation or heat stroke, especially in high summer temperatures.

Research by Stanford University School of Medicine shows that the temperature inside a car can rise at a faster pace even on a relatively cool weather day. The temperature inside a car can touch 47 degrees Celsius if it is parked for one hour in direct sunlight and it is at least 35 degrees Celsius outside.

Data from Dubai Police showed that 53 children were left alone in vehicles in 2020, and four cases were reported each month. Last year, in the first seven months, 39 kids were rescued after they were left behind in locked vehicles. In addition to this rule, the UAE has the right to penalize if children are found at risk under Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 on the rights of the child. This law is known as the Wadima Law. Neglecting kids in any form is a punishable offence and one can get heavily fined or even a prison sentence for it.