Traffic violators face stiffer fines

Dubai: The chief of Dubai police has said the department will get tough with those who do not pay their fines and will sue them in court.

He said motorists who do not pay their traffic fines for a long time or have large amounts of accumulated fines, will either have to pay up or be jailed.

To make it easier to pay, the police have tied up with Emirates Bank and National Bank of Dubai and even if you do not have an account with, you can inquire about your traffic fines and pay them through the ATM machines of these banks.

The facility is called RADAR and you don't have to be a customer of these banks to avail of this facility. It's important you give the correct details of your vehicle.

If you jumped the red light or caught on camera for speeding, do not wait for the Dubai Police to inform you by mail or SMS to pay the fine, but check it online yourself.

The police do not notify you of your traffic violations unless you have updated your contact at the police station.

When and if you break the traffic laws, log on to the Dubai Police website (www.dubaipolice.gov.ae) and click on online services. You can check your traffic fines and pay with your credit card.

Or you could drop into any of the malls or petrol stations and pay the fine at the ATM-like machines. The locations of these machines are listed separately on this page.

The other way is go personally to any police station and pay it, or you could wait until you renew your car registration and pay the fine then.

The police are getting tougher with bad drivers as it found that Dubai motorists do not mind paying fines. Last year motorists in Dubai paid Dh600 million in traffic fines.

Last year, stiffer penalties were implemented for driving offences and a black point system was introduced. The maximum number of black points you can accrue in a year is 24.

Under the new system implemented in all the emirates, bad drivers could lose their license for between three months to a year. If the violation is repeated for the third time, the license will be taken away and the motorist will have to undergo a training course.

-Dh200 Talking on a mobile phone while driving
-Dh800 Jumping a red light n Dh600 Overtaking on hard shoulder
-Dh500 Not giving way to pedestrians at crossings n
-Dh1,000 Parking in space allotted to special needs persons, ambulances, or in front of a fire hydrant
-Dh2,000 Driving dangerously n
-Dh200 Driving with tyres in poor condition

Have you recently been fined for speeding? How much were you fined? Do you think the fine amounts are enough? Or should the authorities implement harsher methods to punish traffic offenders?

I think the RTA and UAE police must look into introducing new fines for people who force you to change lanes. I mean to say continues flashing lights behind you until you clear the lane and in some cases you don't have any way to chyange lanes but still there is flashing of headlights and if you don't give way some how they come in front of you and drive dangerously. This must be stop, especially on Emirates Road, Shaikh Zayed Road, etc. If this is not controlled then I am sure more accidents will happen.
Tushar Mehta
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 14:45

Talking on a mobile phone while driving. My question or comment is are public buses and taxis under the RTA? Because I often see drivers of these vehicles talking on the phone while driving!How come they don't know?
Gerry
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 14:25

Recently, I saw on the Dubai Police website that I have four black points, for what reason I don't know. I am a safe driver and in many occassions I stop.
Jamil
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 14:14

Yes, I got fined for overspeeding last week when we visited Global Village. The amount was Dh700. I think the fine is very high for me because I drove at 115km/h.
Sijo
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 13:53

Police should punish violators far more stringently. Penalties are too lenient and fines not nearly high enough. They should be high enough to ensure drivers do take care, and bad driving should lead to punitive bans.
From A Reader
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 13:42

I got a fine because I had entered a wrong road as I didn't know. The police stopped me and fined me, it was not too heavy of a fine and on the back of the ticket it was stated that if I do not pay the fine within 15 days there would be a penalty. On the very next day I checked my online fine status and nothing appeared, I also visited one of the banks where they also told me that there was no fine to be paid. About three weeks after the issue of my fine, I checked again and it appeared that I had a fine. I think before the RTA doubles our speeding fine, which is a very good thing, they should speed up the process of publishing fines.
From A Reader
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 13:35

I was surprised to see that the fine for jumping a red light is only Dh800, when a colleague of mine was recently fined Dh2,300 for doing so.
Eric F. Vasania
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 13:24

Well, it is good to have these laws implemented. Sometimes you get stuck in traffic, especially when you get out of International City. There is just one exit there so it is really hard. You would find an accident there nearly everyday. My idea is if there would be a small signal on the road just during rush hour then it would be good and heavy vehicles should not be allowed between six o'clock and nine o'clock.Thank you so muchAhmed Omaid
Ahmad Omaid
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 12:48

Well done Dubai for getting strict on road safety and enforcing the law. If only Abu Dhabi could copy Dubai's example.
Ford Desmoineaux
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 12:45

Dubai Police is very smart, they know what kind of drivers are in Dubai.
Hamza
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 12:31

These are all good things the Dubai Police are doing to ensure the safety of the public, but where do you go for fines that are given to you by mistake? I have a fine on my licence from 2007 issued from Sharjah Police. I have never travelled to Sharjah for the past five years, nor have I ever stopped by Sharjah Police, and the fine on the website shows that I was driving a car that I don't know the plate number of. The fine also states 'unknown' for licence type. The fine was only Dh100, but because it's been almost three years, it has gone up to Dh300. When I go to Dubai Police, they tell me to go to Sharjah Police, and when I go to Sharjah Police claiming the vehicle to be found, they say go to Dubai Police. Nobody is willing to help or admit this is a mistake on my licence.
Milad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 12:18

What is the time period for paying fines? When does it become too late and additional penalties are added to the fine? Where can we pay for these fines? Please provide locations.
Zeyad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 12:02

Paying fines should be made easier, but should be paid within a certain time. If not paid, the fine should be doubled. The more difficult it is, the more time people have to think about what they have done.
Maarten
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 10:45

Whatever they do even if they double the fines again, I think many would still speed. If they don't want us to speed, then why are Ferraris and fast Mercedes and other sports cars being sold? I think that forget that nobody will speed even if one million radars are installed.
From A Reader
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 10:05

I recently received a fine of Dh600 for speeding. As painful as it was to cough up the money, the punishment needs to be heftier for speeding. Speeding on the road displays recklessness, and a lack of respect for other drivers on the road. It is only a matter of time before this behaviour causes an accident. I think life and limb cost a lot more than Dh600.
Azeem
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 09:59

Drivers in Dubai need to learn more about safe driving. So many drivers do not know, for example, the purpose of the Zebra crossings on the road and that is why they abuse whoever dares to walk in front of their cars trying to cross the road on the zebra crossings. Other drivers believe it is safer to slow down and be sure before merging into a highway while the right thing is to merge smoothly picking up the speed of the road you are merging into. I did check that with many people I know in Dubai. My point is penalties alone are not going to improve people's skills and understanding. I transferred my licence from overseas in half an hour, which indicates a smooth service by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), yet I did not receive even a small slip to explain to me what is expected of me on the roads or how the system works here. I believe that the RTA needs to work more on some educational programmes to improve everyone's awareness and understanding, rather than implementing black points.
Hesham Metwalli
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 09:46

I had a small accident last week and the police fined me Dh250 and gave me a fine receipt. I checked my fine status on the website but it shows that I do not have a fine. What does it mean? Does it mean that I have no fine? Or the website is not working? How can I be sure in such situations?
Alireza
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 09:25

What should we do if the fines are appearing in the Dubai Police website? Two days ago I renewed my vehicle. I was surprised and shocked to see that there was a fine of Dh1,000 showing in website. Some of them I already paid through the website, but again showed as unpaid.
Dinesh Kumar
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 09:05

I'm working in Dubai but live in Sharjah and I respect Dubai Police for their consciousness on real violator. I have noticed that Sharjah Police tend to sometimes fine seemingly without a reason. I had rented an apartment in Sharjah with a great view with a lot of parking spaces around the building. A few months later all plots around the building started construction and there was not enough space for parking, which forced me to park far from my building, near Al Qasba, and I suffer everyday either to find a parking space or to park within crowded spaces. The next day I find scratches on my car. I'm trying to reduce the amount of times I go out because of parking. One day I decided to go out and found a police car waiting there for me, eventually I had to go to Sharjah Police station to pay the fines and this was impossible because my work is in Dubai. I think there should be a more convenient way to pay fines.
Fouad Mohammad
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 09:02

I drive very carefully.
George
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 08:55

Bad drivers endanger everyone on the road, especially pedestrians. The fines are fair enough or even it should be more expensive because there are so many violators. Like in the Philippines, every violation has corresponding punishments and fines. Some drivers are not serious in driving, where they could kill people because of negligence in driving. Bad drivers are everywhere. I have noticed that they don't use their turn signals properly, or merge correctly, or obey signs. It is not only infuriating to other drivers, but also extremely dangerous to people who are walking along the pedestrian lanes.
Edwin Ibanez
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 08:32

Dh600 million a year in fines? Where did that figure come from? How many registered drivers are there in Dubai? What percentage of them were fined in the last year? If this figure is accurate then drivers in the UAE should be ashamed of themselves.
James Nixon
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 08:02

Recently, I was forced to park my car in one of the sand patches in the Old Pakistan Consulate area in Bur Dubai. Although I possess 'B' type annual parking card, but owing to "non-availability" of slots in that area, I was forced to take this move, as my meeting could not wait. I must have been parked for hardly 15 minutes and upon my return I see a Dh200 fine slapped on the windshield of my vehicle. I think more parking spots in this area should be made. I hope the message gets across to the right person.
Ajay
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 06:55

I think the RTA should increase the fine to Dh1 million. Now, Gulf News, you should have your say? What do you think?
Amyn
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 02:21

I say yeah! More fines please. People seem to drive like they are crazy these days. I hope the fines make them more cautious; as having to pocket out their earnings may make them more concerned of how their actions affect others when driving. The police need to be more vigilant as well, and I think they need to increase the amount of patrols on all roads and increase the fine amounts.
Jennifer G.
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 01:53

The amounts to be paid are too high for violations.
Nishanth
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 01:10

I have been caught by a radar on Al Ain Road at the speed of 138 kilometres per hour (km/h). Usually radars only catches on 141km/h, but this was a mobile radar and it recorded my speed as 145km/h. There should be a system to safeguard drivers who get fined wrongly. I use my GPS for speed monitoring and i know for a fact that I did not exceed 139km/h, why was I fined?
Wosim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 00:52

I was recently fined for over speeding. Although I exceeded the speed limit by 10km/h - only to reach at 90km/h, I was fined Dh600. There should be some fair basis for punishing motorists and I think the speed limits are not realistically set.
David
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 14, 2009, 00:50