Dubai: If you are near an accident site in the UAE, or see an ambulance or police vehicle making its way through traffic, it is important to follow certain rules to ensure that you do not impede the work of emergency response vehicles.
On September 19, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) reminded drivers that not giving way to ambulances or police vehicles can not only land them with a hefty fine, they can also have their cars impounded for 30 days.
If you are a motorist in the UAE, these are the top three rules to keep in mind, as per the Ministerial Resolution No. (178) for the year 2017 on Rules and Procedures of Traffic Control:
1. Not giving way to ambulance, police vehicles
Dh3,000 fine, 6 black points, car impounded for 30 days
If you are stuck in traffic and hear the siren of an ambulance or police patrol behind you, make sure you make way for the emergency response team. Failing to do so would lead to a fine of Dh3,000, with the vehicle being impounded for 30 days and six black points.
https://twitter.com/moiuae/status/1571826585312940033?s=20&t=GPBGurNNOYF217paSxgzjA
2. Parking in front of fire hydrant places
Dh1,000 fine
Fire hydrants in public places have the surrounding area marked clearly as a no-parking zone. This is because parking in that space can impede the work of emergency responders, in case of a fire. The UAE’s Federal Traffic Law states that parking near a fire hydrant would lead to a Dh1,000 fine.
3. Crowding at an accident site - rubbernecking
Dh1,000 fine
If you happen to witness an accident in the UAE, make sure you alert the authorities on 999 and not crowd the place or park in the wrong places. This is because crowds around accident sites can make it harder for police and ambulance cars to reach the accident site on time. The fine for crowding at accident sites is Dh1,000.
