Police chief says rising complaints on racers
President Mohamed Muizzu on Friday asked authorities to revoke the permit for racing and drifting area in Hulhumale.
Police Commissioner Ali Shujau has said that they have been receiving complaints of racers who are driving at high speed on the roads of Hulhumale.
There have been dangerous accidents recently due to speeding race cars in Male and Hulhumale. A young man died on Friday night in an accident involving a speeding racing car.
The police commissioner said that while a special land has been allocated for racers and drifting in Hulhumale Phase-2, the concern is that they are going out of the allocated areas in those vehicles at high speed which will put many people at risk.
"Usually they go racing and drifting around 11 pm. Many of these vehicles from Male are going to Hulhumale at that time and they have been speeding more than they should be," he said.
Shujau said not everyone who races is involved in it and there are those who do it well. Especially, in meetings with the management of the racing association, the police advise them not to roam around outside the allocated area even after the racing events and to go home after these events.
"But we don't think they [racing officials] have control of it. It's not easy to track all racers and see if they go home or not after every event," Shujau said.
To reduce accidents caused by such vehicles, President Mohamed Muizzu on Friday asked authorities to revoke the permit for racing and drifting area in Hulhumale.
The eight measures instructed by the president are:
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Amend laws and regulations to penalise speeding and reckless driving and implement strict actions against such drivers nationwide to make roads safe for everyone
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Immediately revoking the permit issued by HDC on 19 October 2023 to use a specific Hulhumale area for drifting and racing
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Stopping vehicles that violate the speed limit and their driver's licence confiscated and the vehicles impounded to police custody
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Amend laws and regulations to prohibit road vehicles with a specific cc (horsepower) and above from being used on public roads
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Amend laws and regulations to forbid the import of such devices, thereby preventing the operation of loud noise-producing vehicles equipped with modified silencers
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Expedite the execution of the plan that the Maldives Police Service submitted to the HDC. The Maldives Police Service (MPS) proposed the installation of speed breakers and speed detection cameras in 150 areas of Hulhumale.
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Introduction of a graduating license system and deduction of points from traffic violators' driving licenses
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Expand and strengthen the MPS’ efforts to enforce traffic laws and regulations.
The police commissioner said that during the weekends, speeding or noisy vehicles have also increased in Male and Hulhumae.
To control it, vehicle checkpoints are set up on highways and roads every weekend.
"But the problem with that is that even if we put up a vehicle checkpoint, people will recognise it very quickly. So, they avoid these checkpoints and drive on other roads," Shujau said.
"These issues can only be resolved if all parties respect the rules."
