Dubai: Dumping a face mask out the window? You could face a fine of Dh1,000 along with six black points. On June 17, Abu Dhabi Police took to its official social media accounts to remind motorists of the strict penalties that are imposed if waste is thrown from vehicles.
In the first half of this year, Abu Dhabi Police stated that around 170 drivers had been fined for throwing out garbage from their vehicles on the roads in the first half of 2021.
The fine for littering from a vehicle is part of the UAE Federal Traffic Law, and after an amendment in 2017, the fine for this violation was increased from Dh500 and four black points to Dh1,000 and six black points.
As reported by Gulf News earlier, even if a passenger is caught littering, the fine will be imposed on the driver. This is similar to the fine for not wearing a seatbelt, where the driver is held responsible for violations by a passenger in the car.
Additional municipality fines
But if you do end up littering while in the car, not only do you face the possibility of being fined by the police authorities, you can also face a municipal fine.
Based on Local Order No.11 of 2003, Dubai Municipality can issue a fine of Dh500 to those who litter public spaces.
In Abu Dhabi, the fine for dumping garbage can range from Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 according to Abu Dhabi’s municipal sector regulator, the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) and its Waste Management Centre, Tadweer.
• Dh1,000 fine for littering in public places. This includes acts like spitting.
• Dh1,000 fine for motorists caught littering on the roads. Six traffic black points are also added to the driver’s record.
• Dh10,000 fine for dumping agricultural waste, such as from farms and gardens, in non-designated spaces.
• Dh10,000 fine for dumping building material waste in non-designated spaces.
• Dh100,000 fine for dumping construction or sewage waste in non-designated spaces.
So, the next time you are about to throw a cigarette butt, mask or an empty packet of chips out the window while driving, think again.
