In Dubai, one of the world’s most advanced car cultures exists. Despite excellent roads and a large number of expensive cars, most drivers adhere to traffic rules and avoid accidents. Moreover, authorities in the UAE closely monitor compliance with traffic regulations, with cameras and patrols installed throughout the city.
The most common violation in Dubai among tourists is speeding. Despite the abundance of sports cars, strict speed limits are enforced in the city, applicable to drivers of all vehicles.
Drivers in Dubai don’t receive fines for exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h, unlike in the capital Abu Dhabi, where exceeding even by 1 km/h incurs penalties. Fines for speeding violations range from 600 to 1,500 AED for exceeding the limit by 30 km/h to 60 km/h. Exceeding the speed limit by more than 60 km/h can result in both fines and the vehicle’s impoundment with license confiscation. Detailed information on speeding violations is available in a separate article about speeding fines.
In Dubai, the following traffic violations incur fines:
- Unbuckled passengers or driver: 800 AED.
- Driver distractions: 800 AED.
- Incorrect lane usage: 500 AED.
- Driving at night without lights or failure to signal: 100–400 AED.
- Failure to yield to pedestrians at a crosswalk: 500 AED.
- Transporting a child without a child seat: 400 AED.
- Running a red light: 1,000 AED and vehicle impoundment.
- Failure to maintain distance from another vehicle: 400 AED.
- Littering from a car window: 500-1,000 AED.
- Participation in races: starting from 100,000 AED.
- Driving a vehicle without a license plate: 3,000 AED.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is one of the most serious offenses in Dubai. Operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs results in a 60-day vehicle confiscation and a 1-year license suspension. For alcohol, the vehicle is seized for 90 days, and the fine is determined by the court, ranging up to 30,000 AED. Additionally, there’s a risk of a 3-year prison sentence for such violations.
