Gone are the days when UAE drivers had a 24 black point buffer before their vehicles were impounded and licenses were confiscated. A copy of the Official Gazette seen by Khaleej Times revealed new traffic violations that can lead to vehicle impounds in the UAE. Phone driving emerged as one of the chief offenses, which could lead to vehicles not maintaining safe distance on the road.
The Dubai Police will now impound vehicles with multiple traffic violations for up to 30 days. Aside from phone driving, tailgating and sudden deviation will also result in vehicle confiscation for a month in Dubai. Federal traffic law has set fines ranging from AED400 to AED1,000, imposing four black points for these offenses. With this amendment, a 30-day vehicle impoundment will also be added as a penalty in Dubai.
These traffic reforms are applicable to both light and heavy vehicles on Dubai roads.
According to a survey conducted in 2024 by RoadSafetyUAE and Al Wathba Insurance, “Nine out of ten drivers think distracted driving is dangerous, but only 81%, or eight out of ten motorists, are always fully concentrated on the road, which means that one out of five motorists around us does not pay full attention.”
The new 14-day impound will be slapped onto vehicles that commit the following offenses:
- Entering the road without making sure it is clear
- Reversing the vehicle in a manner that poses a danger to life, property, or traffic safety
- Lane indiscipline
- Stopping in the middle of the road for no reason
- Dangerous overtaking
- Lack of necessary safety and security conditions in the vehicle
- Stopping the vehicle on the shoulder of the road in non-emergency situations or overtaking vehicles from the shoulder
- Driving a vehicle without a license plate
- Driving a vehicle in a manner that obstructs traffic
- Making changes to the vehicle color without permission
Stricter traffic regulations aim to combat the rapid rise of reckless driving on Dubai roads. In the last six months of 2024, 94% of road accidents in Dubai have been caused by reckless driving.
