Dubai: You are on the way to work, and suddenly you hear your car’s tyre burst. Even though this is a tough situation to be in, it is important to know what you should do next. Calling the police emergency number might not be necessary, unless you are facing a medical emergency or are in a critical situation.
Not only can you get roadside assistance from professional service providers, police authorities in each Emirate also offer dedicated numbers that motorists can call to seek help in case of car breakdowns.
So, no matter which Emirate you are in, here are all the ways you can reach out for roadside assistance.
Does my car insurance cover roadside assistance?
When you buy a new or used car, car dealerships may offer you roadside assistance as part of the service package. If not, you can also get roadside assistance as part of your auto insurance coverage. It is advisable to ask your insurance agent if the policy covers roadside assistance for various situations like refueling, mechanical breakdown and a towing service. Some insurance companies also provide a roadside assistance card, which you can keep in your wallet for emergency situations.
If your insurance provider does not cover roadside assistance, it is also advisable to research towing service companies around you and ensure you have some of their numbers saved with you to use in case of an emergency.
Abu Dhabi
In Abu Dhabi, you may be able to get free roadside assistance and towing services in some cases. If you are driving on one of the main roads in Abu Dhabi and your car breaks down, you can request for roadside assistance from the Road Service Patrol (RSP), which is under the Emirate’s transport authority, the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC). Not only does RSP provide help if your car has broken down but it also manages traffic flow, secures the incident scene, clears broken-down vehicles from the main road, and offers towing services.
The patrol service is free of cost and is available 24x7. The RSP currently covers the main roads in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
How do I know if I am on a main road?
The patrol service by RSP is only for the highways in Abu Dhabi. To know if you are on a road which is a highway, look at the road number – if the road number starts with an ‘E’, you are on a highway.
How do I contact the Road Service Patrol (RSP) in Abu Dhabi?
You can contact RSP through their hotline – 800 850 – and dial 1 for ITC and then select 1 for RSP. You can also contact RSP through the Darbi mobile application, available for both Android and Apple devices.
What if my car breaks down on a road that is not part of the main road network?
In case your car breaks down on an internal road (which is not a highway or ‘E’ road), you can call Abu Dhabi Police’s non-emergency call centre – 800 3333. However, if you need assistant like getting your car towed, you would need to reach out to a towing service provider.
• Move off the road to the nearest designated emergency area. In cases of extreme necessity, use the right shoulder of the road to stop your vehicle.
• Turn on your hazard lights.
• If you have a hazard sign with you, place it on the road at sufficient distance from your stalled vehicle to warn other oncoming drivers. This is typically considered to be 60 metres behind your vehicle.
• Don’t wait inside your car, or next to it. Step onto the pavement and stay at a safe distance from incoming traffic.
• Call the Police to ask for assistance.
800850
Abu Dhabi - Road Service Patrol (RSP).Dubai
In Dubai, you can call Dubai Police’s non-emergency call centre 901, which handles issues related to minor traffic accidents and deals with vehicle breakdowns.
To request roadside assistance from Dubai Police, dial 901 and select 2 for traffic services. You must inform the call centre agent of your issue and the location of the site. You can also alternatively call the Dubai Police emergency number – 999.
If your car needs to be towed, you would need to contact a towing service provider. If towing service is not provided in your car insurance, you can reach out a car recovery service provider by looking it up online.
901
Dubai Police’s non-emergency call centre.Northern Emirates
If you are in Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah or Umm Al Quwain, and your car breaks down, you can call the Ministry of Interior’s emergency helpline 999. This is regardless of which area you are in, in these Emirates.
When you dial 999 and inform the agent about your location, the local police authority of that Emirate will reach you for assistance.
999
Ministry of Interior’s emergency helplineIf your car needs to be towed, you would need to contact a towing service provider.
