In Dubai, purchasing a vehicle is quite easy. The bitingly difficult part is that one must be aware of the rigid rules and regulations put in place to prevent traffic tickets. The governing body responsible for enforcing traffic laws in Dubai is the RTA, or the Roads and Transportation Authority. You cannot break any traffic rules while you are in Dubai, irrespective of whether you are a resident or a tourist. So, it is important that you keep yourself informed about all the traffic rules to avoid fines during your entire stay in Dubai.
Dubai’s black point system
This system enables Dubai’s law enforcement to keep track of all traffic offenses. Based on the severity of the violation, Dubai Police will add black points to the traffic file of the offender. The Dubai police have complete authority to suspend a driver’s license and forbid anyone from operating a vehicle for a full year if they acquire more than 24 black points. Vehicles can also be seized in certain situations.
Dubai traffic fine list
The traffic offenses in Dubai can be broadly classified into different groups like speeding, reckless driving, parking offenses, overtaking offenses and other similar violations.
Fines for reckless and rash driving
The black points received for reckless and rash driving can be divided into two categories, namely the fines that carry 23 points and the fines that carry less than 23 points.
Fines that carry 23 points include:
- causing others serious harm as a result of careless driving
- endangering the life of another person, also a court-determined fine, and having their car confiscated for two months
- intoxicated driving comes with an extra fine of AED 20,000 and a 60-day vehicle impoundment. The driver may even receive a jail sentence.
- operating a car without a license plate, along with an AED 3,000 fine and a 90-day vehicle impoundment.
Fines that carry less than 23 points include:
- red-light violation: entails an AED 1,000 fine, a 30-day car impoundment, and 12 points
- traffic obstruction: entails an AED 1,000 fine and 6 points
- driving without maintaining an appropriate distance from other automobiles: entails an AED 400 fine and 4 points
Fines for over speeding
Violations with black points and fines:
- For exceeding the designated speed limit by more than 80 km/h, drivers can get AED 3,000 in fines, 23 points on the file, and a license suspension for 60 days.
- For exceeding the designated speed limit by higher than 60 km/h, you will receive AED 3,000 in fines, 12 points on your file, and 30 days of vehicle impoundment.
- For exceeding the designated speed limit by lower than 60 km/h, AED 1,500 in fines, 6 points on your file, and 15 days of vehicle impoundment.
Violations with only fines:
- AED 3,000 in fines for exceeding the designated speed limit by lower than 50 km/h.
- AED 700 for exceeding the designated speed limit by lower than 40 km/h.
- AED 600 for exceeding the designated speed limit by lower than 30 km/h.
- AED 300 for exceeding the designated speed limit by lower than 20 km/h.
Fines for wrong parking and overtaking
Penalties for wrong parking and overtaking include:
- Parking a vehicle in front of fire hydrants, spots designated for others, and suddenly stopping on the roadway while driving without a good reason: AED 1,000 in fines and 6 points
- Stopping vehicles at pedestrian crossings and yellow box junctions: AED 500 fine
- Stopping vehicles in prohibited areas: AED 1000 fine
- Parking behind other vehicles and obstructing traffic: AED 500 fine
- Stopping cars on a curve, junction, or turn without maintaining the appropriate distance: AED 500 fine
- Stopping the vehicle in a way dangerous to pedestrians or hampers their movement: AED 400 fine
- Parking improperly: 500 AED fine
- Parking on the sidewalk: AED 400 fine
- Overtaking from prohibited places: AED 600 fine
- Overtaking from the road shoulder: AED 1,000 in fines and 6 points
- Improper overtaking while operating a light vehicle: AED 600 in fines and 6 points
Other offenses
Some other common violations and their punishments include:
- not wearing seatbelts: AED 400 fine and 4 points
- throwing trash from automobiles and driving vehicles causing pollution: AED 1,000 fine and 6 points
- noisy vehicle: AED 2,000 fine and 12 points
- using phones when driving: AED 800 and 4 points
- not wearing helmets on motorcycles: AED 500 and 4 points
- jaywalking: AED 400 fine
- children below age 10 sitting in front seats: AED 1000
- driving without lights in low-light conditions and rashly reversing: AED 500 and 4 points
- driving with bad tires: AED 500 fine, 4 points, and 7 days vehicle impoundment
- driving with improper documents: AED 500 fine, 5 points, and 7 days vehicle impoundment.