A Dubai expat named Mark (name changed) had to pay Dh1,000 for jumping a red light last month. He got 12 black points; his car was impounded for 30 days, and he had to shell out Dh3,000 before it was released.
In the future, if he commits the same violation, he will receive 12 more black points and pay the same penalty. But he will have to pay 17 times more than he paid to recover his impounded car as Dubai revised its traffic law.
Traffic law amendments in the Emirates that went into effect on Thursday (July 6) set a penalty of Dh50,000 for motorists to get their confiscated vehicles back. This is almost the same amount Mark paid for the brand-new Korean-made sedan he bought early this year.
"The increase in penalty is a big deterrent," Mark told Khaleej Times, adding: "I've already learned my lesson, and I won't commit the same mistake of beating a red light again. It's not worth it."
Experts agree that adding harsher penalties to the Dubai traffic law would send a strong message to erring motorists.
According to Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of RoadSafetyUAE, "the new amendments to the traffic law address different forms of reckless driving."
Some of these are intentional, but others are related to distracted behavior, particularly red light jumping. The majority of red light jumping violations are linked to the distracted behaviour of motorists. But jumping the red light simply cannot be overlooked as a result of distraction. Regardless, the amendments to the traffic law take further steps to address reckless driving and ensure traffic safety while safeguarding the lives and properties of individuals in the emirate,” he added.
Lara Branaghan, a long-time Dubai resident, praised the authorities' decision. She said: “Cars now have become faster, the roads have become wider, and some motorists have become bolder. By imposing stiffer and costly penalties, these erring motorists would definitely think twice before hitting hard the accelerator to beat the red light.”
“I understand the amendments are intended to promote safety on the roads, reduce accidents and ensure traffic safety,” she said.
“And I don’t think anyone can just leave their car at the impounding area, even if its value is just Dh15,000 or a third of the penalty because they still have to clear the black points on their driving licence,” Branaghan added.
According to the amended traffic law, the requirements for vehicle release include payment of all fines due on the vehicle according to the traffic file, rectify of the violation (including clearing black points) or removal of its causes, and any other conditions determined by Dubai Police.
Repeat offenders will also have to pay a higher price. The new law says: “The impoundment period of a vehicle will be doubled in case the car is impounded again within one year from the occurrence of the same offence for which the vehicle was previously impounded, provided that the impoundment period does not exceed 90 days.
“The amount to be paid for the release of the impounded vehicle will be doubled in case the vehicle is impounded again within one year from the occurrence of the same offence, provided that the release amount does not exceed Dh200,000.”
Moreover, a non-UAE national driving a heavy vehicle through a red light will be administratively deported from the UAE in addition to the penalties and measures prescribed by law.
The new traffic law still emphasizes the need to avoid penalties and drive cautiously. You can prevent accidents, save lives, stay safe, and follow the law.