Dubai: Met with an accident? It is crucial that you follow proper accident reporting procedures before taking the car to the workshop. Dubai Public Prosecution has reminded motorists that repairing cars which have signs of being involved in an accident is illegal without the licensing authority’s permission.
In a post on its official social media channels, the authority raised awareness on Articles 41 and 57 of the UAE’s Federal Traffic Law - Federal Law No. 21 of 1995 Concerning Road Traffic – and its amendments.
As per Article 41, no person or garage shall be entitled to repair any mechanical vehicle having accident signs without the Licensing Authority’s permission. Article 57 of the law states that violators may be imprisoned for a period of not more than one month and a fine of not less than Dh200 and not exceeding Dh500 or by either of these two penalties.
If you do get involved in a car accident, there are some basic steps that you need to take to ensure that you follow the rules and do not cause any additional obstructions on the road, if possible. Even if you have been involved in a car accident, when your car was parked, or the other vehicle flees the scene and you were unable to take down the details of the car number plate, you can still report the accident as an ‘Unknown car accident’ with the police.
Documents you should always carry
As a motorist, it is essential that you always carry certain documents with you, in case of an accident:
• Emirates ID, if you are a resident of the UAE.
• Passport copy, in case you are a tourist or visitor.
• Valid UAE or international driving licence.
• Vehicle registration card.
• Medical Insurance card (this is important if you obtain any serious injuries and need to be treated immediately).
Once you have the police report, you can contact your insurance provider to find out the next steps for getting any repair work covered under insurance. If you were driving a rental car, you would need to report the accident to the rental company, which will then advise you on the next steps.
The insurance company will generally handle claims to the other parties’ insurance provider for repairs.
These documents will be necessary for the workshop to handle any repairs that the vehicle needs.
