To uphold road safety within the UAE, new traffic rules have been issued to reduce reckless driving. The new law will revoke driving licences for serious offences. All drivers must acquaint themselves with these new regulations to avoid being penalized against their interests.
The amended law is tailored to discourage dangerous driving acts that threaten road safety. Penalties become harsher in the case of repeated offences. Violations by the driver can result in temporary or permanent licence suspension.
As per the new law, bodily harm or medical issues may be a basis for general suspension, cancellation, or refusal to renew, among other topics. Article (12) of the act states three circumstances wherein driving licences might be suspended or revoked.
3 Reasons Your Driving Licence May Be Suspended
1. Over Speeding
Significantly, excessive speeding constitutes a major reason for the suspension of the licence under UAE traffic law. Minor speeding may be punished with an imposed fine; however, with great speeding, you will be lucky to have your licence suspended immediately.
How Much Over the Speed Limit is Considered Dangerous?
Exceeding speed limits within the limits of 60 km/h or beyond invites reckoning of heavy fines, black points, and possible suspension. The UAE authorities have zero tolerance for speeding, for this is more often the cause of accidents.
Consequences of High-Speed Violations
- The violator may be fined up to AED 3,000.
- The vehicle of the driver may be impounded for a period.
- The suspension of the driving licence is for 6 months.
Moreover, UAE authorities’ propensity to punish ultra-violators swiftly has led them to activate smart radars and AI systems for high-speed monitoring.
2. Reckless or Dangerous Driving
Reckless driving impinges on serious risks posed to other road users and stands as a major reason for licence suspension.
Examples include:
- Alcohol or drug impaired driving.
- Sudden lane changes without indicators are considered reckless driving.
- Engaging in street racing or drifting.
- Running traffic lights or ignoring traffic signs.
Punishment for Reckless Driving:
- Maximum fines may reach AED 50,000.
- Forty-five-seven-jacket-the-driver; and therefore, the driver can become a subject of prosecution and/or imprisonment.
- The vehicle may get impounded for not less than 30 days.
- The driving licence may get suspended for one year or permanently revoked.
- CCTV cameras, police patrols, and AI monitoring are the weapons deployed to catch reckless drivers and punish them accordingly.
3. Accumulating Maximum Black Points
The UAE employs the black points system for monitoring and punishing traffic violators. When a driver reaches 24 black points, their licence can be automatically suspended.
How Are Black Points Assigned?
- In case of a minor violation, the black point system weighs 4-6 black points.
- Serious offences give up to 12 black points for such actions as reckless driving or causing major accidents.
What Happens Upon Reaching 24 Black Points?
- Suspension of the driver’s license will take place for three to six months.
- Where the offence is grievous, the suspension may be renewed for a longer period or become a permanent one.
- Traffic safety courses may be offered to drivers for the restoration of their licences.
Drivers are advised to obey the rules of the road, drive attentively, and avoid distractions while driving to avoid accumulating black points.
Categories Exempted from Driving Licences
Some categories of citizens in the UAE do not require a driving licence to operate certain types of vehicles.
Those Usually Include:
- Persons coming from the military as well as security and police personnel, when using military vehicles with the authorisation of grants given by those authorities.
- Foreign-registered drivers are not subject to vehicle registration or licensing requirements in the UAE as long as they have a valid driving licence issued by their home country authorities recognised in the UAE or an international driving permit (IDP). This rule holds temporarily for tourists, visitors, or travellers in transit through the UAE, allowing them to drive vehicles registered under foreign tags for their stay. If they become residents, however, it will not be permissible for them to drive without obtaining a UAE driving licence.
- A provision of the new law states that people with overseas or international driving licenses or temporary driving permits who are allowed to stay in the country without residency fall under that group.
Penalties
- The penalty for anyone driving a vehicle on UAE roads with a foreign driving licence not recognised will range from a fine of Dh2,000 to Dh10,000 for the first offence.
- The same will entail imprisonment for three months plus a fine between Dh5,000 and Dh50,000, either of which could serve as punishment for repeated offences.
Right of Recall, Inspection of Vehicles
The law grants such authority to licensing offices, who can call back any vehicle whenever they want and subject it to any kind of inspection to ascertain its safety and compliance with regulations. Vehicles not seen fit for use have to go through repairs by the owner, and this vehicle will never hit the road until it has successfully cleared the technical inspection.
Article 26 prohibits major alterations to a vehicle without prior permission from the licensing authority, including body modification, power enhancement, or in whatever fashion to change the colour of a vehicle. The interested parties must also perform all the actions required for compliance with technical standards.
Furthermore, no vehicle repair centre may make repairs to a vehicle showing evidence of accident or damage without a permit from the traffic authority or an authorised delegate.
The new law states four major criteria for the acquisition of driving licences.
- Applicants must be at least 17 years old.
- The applicant must undergo a medical examination from the licensing authority or submit an approved medical document.
- Conditions are met as to executive regulations governing licensing processes.
- Satisfaction of any other requirement that the licensing authority may impose.
Driving Without A Proper License
- Hefty fines have been imposed by law on those found driving without a licence or using a licence for a kind of vehicle that does not correlate with the type mentioned in the licence. Violation charges will fetch a jail term of up to three months and a fine of up to Dh5,000 to Dh50,000 or both.
- In case of repeated offences, this should be punished by imprisonment of not less than three months and by a fine reckoning from Dh20,000 to Dh100,000 or by one of these two punishments.
- More dismal for the motorist is a term of three months imprisonment if found working under suspension. A fine not exceeding Dh10,000 and either of these penalties can be slapped on one found to have infringed the law.
Every act falling within these four categories may be treated with a term of imprisonment and/or a fine of not less than Dh20,000:
- forging or simulating a license plate, having in possession a forged or simulated license plate.
- distorting, obliterating or changing the data of a licence plate.
- allowing others to use a licence plate, knowing that it has been obliterated, defaced or altered.
- Without any permission of the Licensing Authority, shifting one licence plate from one vehicle to another.
How to Avoid Having Your Licence Suspended?
To avert anything close to a licence suspension, a driver must ensure that he or she:
- Comply with all the speed limits and traffic rules.
- Drives responsibly and avoids dangerous manoeuvres.
- Keeps an eye on their black points and reacts appropriately.
- Keeps their vehicle insured and their documents current.
- Take defensive driving courses whenever necessary.
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Wrap It Up!
Road safety protection, together with driver discipline, is the primary purpose behind the new traffic laws in the UAE. The main causes leading to licence suspension are driving too fast, reckless behaviour and receiving multiple black points on your driving record. The severe penalties can be avoided by staying alert about traffic rules and driving with care.
