DUBAI: The Omani driver of the Mwasalat bus that crashed into an overhead road barrer, killing 17 people in Dubai early this month, will stand trial at the traffic court in UAE.

If convicted, the 53-year-old driver will face up to seven years in prison and will be obliged to pay Dh 3.4 million as blood money to the families of the passengers who died in the accident.

“The prosecution shall seek to apply the penalties provided for in the law against the driver, in accordance with the federal laws in force – penalties, traffic and blood money… The penalty is imprisonment up to seven years as well as fine,” the public prosecution tweeted.

Dubai Police meanwhile said the driver was driving at 94kph – more than double the 40kph limit on that road – and did not pay attention to traffic signs when he drove on to a lane with a height constraint. The bus was travelling on Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road, carrying 31 passengers, when it crashed into a signboard at Al Rashidiya exit at 5.40pm on June 6. The passengers included a mix of residents and tourists of Asian and European origin, including Irish, Pakistani, Indian, German and Filipino citizens.