Dubai's Tough New Traffic Rules: Bigger Fines for Red Light Runners!

Dubai's Tough New Traffic Rules: Bigger Fines for Red Light Runners!

Dubai police have issued a strict reminder to all drivers out there, emphasizing the newly fortified penalties for those daring enough to skip the red signal or engage in reckless driving. Brace yourselves for a hefty Dh50,000 fine, a 30-day impound for the vehicle, and a not-so-friendly tally of 23 black marks tainting your driver's license.

In a jaw-dropping video montage, the police unveiled eight heart-stopping displays of reckless driving captured by watchful lenses in the heart of Dubai. Witness motorists recklessly disregarding red lights, causing accidents into innocent vehicles at active junctions. In a heart-wrenching clip, a hapless cyclist flips over a zebra crossing as an oncoming vehicle that didn’t stop. Another scene unfolds with a heart-stopping crash between an automobile and a motorbike which is stopped at a pedestrian crossing.

A recent law that took effect quite recently has elevated reckless driving to the ranks of serious traffic violations in Dubai, putting a hefty Dh50,000 on the line. This grave misconduct is defined as operating a vehicle in a manner that endangers lives or property. The same huge penalty befalls those caught in the act of jumping past the red signal.

 If, however, you're into street racing, or entangled in an illegal street race on Dubai’s roads that'll cost you an even heftier Dh100,000 penalty.

This isn't just about making your wallet lighter, though. Dubai Police are dead serious about keeping everyone safe. In the past seven months alone, they have dealt with 51 accidents, sadly resulting in two lost lives and 73 injured.

“Over 13,875 violations were issued for running red lights during the same period in the current year. About 855 vehicles were impounded over red light violations,” Major-General Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, the astute head of the General Department of Traffic, solemnly noted. “The impact of collisions at traffic signals is intensified due to the angle — significantly increasing the risk of death or severe harm.”

He also pointed out that many people tend to hit the gas as the light turns yellow, trying to beat the red. “This behavior leads to severe accidents, particularly when drivers fail to reach the signal in time and encounter oncoming traffic," he added.

ow, just to give you a comparison, the federal traffic law used to slap a Dh1,000 fine, 12 black points, and a 30-day car timeout for running a red light. But with Dubai's recent law update, that's jumped up to Dh50,000 and 23 black marks. So, if you're thinking of playing Fast and Furious in Dubai, better have that cash handy! Top of Form