New Traffic Rules and Fines in U.A.E

The UAE government on Tuesday introduced new amendments to federal traffic laws, in a bid to make the country's roads safer.

According to these amendments, passengers will be fined for not wearing seat belts, while children up to four years of age must sit in special child seats.

Children aged 10 and above can now sit on the front seat, but they must be at least 145 cm tall.

Here are the salient features of the decree on the new rules:

• Children up to 4 years of age must be seated in special child seats
• Children aged 10 and above can sit in the front seat, but they must be at least 145 cm tall. Earlier, children under 10 years old were not allowed to sit in the front seat of a vehicle and the offense would draw a fine of Dh400 along with 4 black points.

• Illegally carrying/transporting passengers now draws a fine of Dh3,000 (up from Dh200), 24 black points instead of 4 black points, and the vehicle will be impounded for one-month instead of seven days.
•  Along with drivers, now even passengers will face fines for failing to wear seat belts.

Until today, drivers were fined Dh400 and got 4 black points for failing to fastening seat belts.