The traffic rules are set to be changed in the UAE with the introduction of some new traffic fines and modifications made to the existing traffic violations. These changes in traffic rules have been introduced to improve the standards of road safety and make the motorists more responsible of their actions. The newly changed Federal Traffic Laws will be implemented in the UAE from July 1, 2017, and the traffic authorities will arrange awareness campaigns for public to know and understand the amendments in rules before their implementation.
Also read: Dubai Police Released New Traffic Accident Statistics For 2016
Main Goal behind the Changes in Traffic Rules
The fatalities caused by road accidents in the UAE increased to an appalling extent last year and that is the fundamental reason behind the new changes made to the federal traffic rules and fines. The core objective of the newly amended traffic rules is to improve road safety in the UAE. These amendments include changes made to fines of certain existing traffic violations and will also give way to some new regulations, especially in reference to child safety and seatbelts.
Also read: 5 Most Fatal Traffic Violations of 2016 in Dubai
Newly Amended Traffic Laws
The changes have been announced in the traffic laws to emphasize on the importance of road safety measures, while stricter fines and penalties have been introduced against offenders to discourage them from committing traffic violations. Child safety in cars was a big concern for authorities and it has been given the central attention in the newly amended traffic laws.
Following are the new traffic laws which will be implemented from July 1, 2017:
- Child Seats will be compulsory for children under 4 years of age.
- Seatbelts will be mandatory for driver and all the passengers of the car including the passengers on the rear seats.
- No passenger with height less than 145cm will be allowed to sit in the front seat.
- The front seat passenger must not be aged below 10 years.
- “No Tolerance Policy” will be observed for critical traffic violations like over-speeding.
Also read: Road Accidents Decreased in the UAE but Careless Drivers still Exist
Why Child Seats are Important?
The importance of child seats in case of a dangerous road accident is immense and child seats must be fitted within a car for best protection of children. A child’s body is differently structured to an adult’s body and that is why the seats for children in a car must also be different. If the new rules for child seats are not observed by the motorists, then they will have to face serious fines and penalties.
According to a report, the motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are the number one reason for unintentional deaths among children aged between 1 and 19 years worldwide. Not having child seats can be fatal in case of a dangerous accident as in the worst instances, the children can be thrown out of a window or can collide into any hard objects of the car which can lead to severe injuries. The child seats help minimizing such risks and keep children safe in case of an accident.
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New and Amended Traffic Fines in the UAE
As new rules have been introduced and some changes have been made to the existing traffic regulations, the fines and black points have also been updated. Most of the new changes have led to a significant increase in penalties especially for the severe traffic violations.
Let’s have a look at the penalties motorists will be facing for different serious traffic violations from 1st of July.
- Fine of AED 3,000 + Confiscation of vehicle for 90 Days for severe traffic violations.
- 24 Black Points + Heavy fines for driving vehicles without number plates.
- AED 400 fine per passenger for seatbelts violation (Including the passengers of rear seats).
- AED 2,000 Fine + 12 Black Points + 30 Days impounding of vehicle for speeding 60km above the limit.
- AED 3,000 Fine for driving quad bikes/RVs on highways or in residential areas.
Traffic fines have been increased for violations like driving a car without number plates and driving without seatbelts, which means motorists must remain more careful while driving on the UAE roads now. The new no tolerance policy will further make things difficult for offenders and is expected to discourage reckless driving.
Also read: 16 Uncommon Traffic Fines in Dubai You Must Know About
What to Expect from the New Changes in Traffic Rules
The new changes made to the federal traffic laws are certainly for the safety and well-being of motorists. As stated earlier, the fundamental purpose of the amendments is to improve the road safety standards and reduce the alarming count for road deaths in the UAE. Similar traffic violations have been combined into one and the total number of traffic violations has been reduced from 147 to 114, which means added scrutiny for serious violations and simplification of traffic rules and its violations. The new changes in traffic rules are expected to impact the mindset of motorists in a positive way and discourage the reckless drivers through harsher penalties at the same time.
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