Dubai clamps down on dirty cars with Dh500 fine

Having an unkempt, dirty vehicle will bring you more than just an eye sore. It may also cost you Dh500 in fines.

Dubai Municipality has warned residents not to leave their cars unwashed for a long time as this type of uncivilised behaviour can tarnish the aesthetic appearance of the city.  

“First, the vehicle will be identified whether it meets the conditions, such as obstructing the city’s cleanliness, and then a violation notice will be issued by putting a warning sticker on the vehicle,” said Abdul Majeed Abdul Aziz Al Saifaie, director of Dubai Municipality’s waste management department.

Drivers will have 15 days to clean the vehicle.

إن إيقاف مركبتك بشكل مهمل لمدة طويلة وهي غير نظيفة يؤثر على نظافة المدينة ويعرضك لغرامة مالية قدرها 500 درهم.
Stopping the unclean vehicle for a long time, will cost you a fine of 500 AED pic.twitter.com/t16MZIlxIy

— بلدية دبي (@DMunicipality) September 29, 2018

“If motorists fail to respond within this period, the vehicle will be confiscated and shifted to the scrap yard. And if the owner of the vehicle owner still refuses to pay the fine, the vehicle will be sold at auction,” added Al Saifaie. 

When we talk about dirty cars, it is important to note that the warning does not extend to vehicles with light dirt around the tyres and some sand or dust around the body.

Authorities target vehicles that have been unwashed for months at an end, with the vehicle’s colour being under question.

Residents who park their vehicles in public parking spaces should take note of the warning, in order to avoid the Dh500 fine.

In Abu Dhabi, as many as 1,073 fines and warnings were issued to motorists during the first five months of 2018.

Abu Dhabi City Municipality imposed the fines across all residential and commercial areas, and urged motorists to regularly wash their vehicles.

According to the rules, vehicle owners have three days to clean their cars once they receive a warning.  

But if the car is not cleaned within three days, it will be towed away and owners will have to pay a Dh3,000 fine, in addition to impound yard fees.

How to prevent rust formation

Washing your vehicle once a week is the easiest way to prevent your car exterior from rusting.

But there are a few extra tips you can follow to maintain your vehicle in top shape:

1. Ensuring that the vehicle is properly dried after a wash
2. Remove any excess mud or dirt from the bottom of the vehicle’s exterior
3. Wax your car at least twice a year
4. Keep floor mats dry during the rain to prevent it from rusting in the vehicle’s interior.