UAE: Stuck in traffic? 5 things you should not do.

Dubai: Stuck in a traffic jam and thinking of how you can get out in the quickest way possible? During situations like these, it is important to not suddenly change your lane, behave in a way that disturbs other drivers, and not use your mobile phone. This was the advisory shared by Abu Dhabi Police on Wednesday, November 8.

In a video shared on their social media channels, Abu Dhabi police urged motorists to avoid these mistakes when they are in a traffic jam:

1. Stick to your lane and avoid sudden lane change

How often do you see a motorist quickly change lanes, if they feel that the one next to them is moving slightly faster?

As per the UAE’s Federal Traffic Law - Article 86 of Ministerial Resolution No. (178) for 2017 – the penalties for ‘sudden deviation of the vehicle’ is a Dh1,000 fine and four black points. There are also other lane discipline fines that you should be aware of. Last year, Abu Dhabi Police also highlighted the need for motorists to maintain lane discipline, talking about two different types of fines that people can face if they fail to abide by the traffic rules.

A Dh400 fine is imposed on motorists for failing to stay within a traffic lane, for not giving way to motorists approaching from behind, and for not giving way to motorists approaching from the left with the purpose of overtaking.

A Dh600 fine is imposed in cases where a motorist tries to overtake from the right. This violation also leads to six black points being imposed on the driver’s licence. When you are driving in the UAE, and wish to overtake a slow-moving car in front of you, it is important to always overtake using the lane to your left. To know more about all the rules for overtaking and how you safely change your lane, read our guide here.

2. Do not overtake from the hard shoulder

Another important aspect of overtaking is to never use the hard shoulder for it. This was the second advice that was shared by Abu Dhabi in its educational video. Motorists found committing this violation face a Dh1,000 fine, as per the Federal Traffic Law.

In August 2023, Abu Dhabi Police reminded motorists that the road shoulder is specifically reserved for emergencies and emergency vehicles. This provides ambulances, police and traffic management vehicles swift access to accident scene, which can be crucial in rescuing and saving the lives of victims.

3. Drive at a constant speed and keep a proper distance between the vehicles.

In October 2023, Abu Dhabi Police revealed that not leaving a safe distance between vehicles is one of the top causes of traffic accidents.

According to a statement by Abu Dhabi Police, a driver who causes an accident due to not leaving a sufficient safety distance is subject to Abu Dhabi’s traffic Law No. 5 of 2020, which results in the seizure of the vehicle and a Dh5,000 fee to release the vehicle. The vehicle is impounded until this amount is paid, which has to be done within a maximum period of three months.

In case, the driver fails to settle the penalty, the vehicle will be referred for sale at a public auction, in addition to imposing a fine of Dh400 and four black points on the traffic file of the driver, stated Abu Dhabi Police.

To leave a safe distance, you must always remember the ‘three-seconds rule’. This means that the car in front of you should have passed by a roadside point of reference — such as a lamp post — three seconds before your car passes the same mark. So, the safe distance depends on the speed of both the vehicles.

4. Avoid using your phone

Need to check your navigation app while driving or thinking of sending a quick message? Well, according to Abu Dhabi Police, around 80 per cent of road deaths and serious injuries are caused by motorists on phones, as per a survey from 2022.

The Federal Traffic Law imposes a Dh800 fine and four black points on motorists found using handheld devices while driving, as well as motorists otherwise distracted while behind the wheel.

5. Do not use the horn in a way that is disturbing or annoying to others.

In 2019, Abu Dhabi Police advised drivers to refrain from using the car horn excessively, especially near hospitals and schools, and not use it to intimidate other drivers as this can lead to motorists getting confused and can lead to traffic accidents.

How to pay Abu Dhabi traffic fines online

TAMM is the Abu Dhabi official online portal and app for local government services. To use the platform, you must have a UAE Pass account.

1. Download the ‘TAMM’ app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Open the app and on the homepage tap on ‘Payments’ and select ‘Traffic Fines Payment’.
3. Next, you will be asked to sign in with your UAE Pass.
4. Once you have signed in, you will be able to see all the fines registered against your vehicle. You do not need to enter any additional details since your UAE Pass is linked with car registration details.
5. After that, you will have the option to select one of the fines and pay them.
6. Next, you will be transferred to an online payment channel where you will have to enter your debit or credit card details.
7. Once you have paid the fines, you will get a digital receipt and notification stating that the payment was successful.