Dubai: Have you ever received a traffic fine and wanted to find out why? When I received a traffic fine notification earlier this month from my car rental company, telling me that I had received a fine for ‘Light Vehicle Lane Discipline’, I, too, wanted to understand my mistake so as not to repeat it.
When I reached out to my car rental company, they gave me the date, time and location of the fine, along with the ticket number and how much I had to pay. With these details, you can know more about the ticket you have been issued.
How you can find out details about your traffic violation
Dubai Police offers a fine inquiry service through various channels, including:
• Dubai Police smartphone application, which is available for Apple and Android devices
• DubaiPolice website - www.dubaipolice.gov.ae
• Dubai Police Stations (Al Qusais Police Station, Ports Police Station, Barsha Police Station)
• Call center - 901
Inquiring through Dubai Police website
To get details of the ticket through the Dubai Police website, you can follow these steps:
1. Visit the service page for fine inquiry here: https://www.dubaipolice.gov.ae/wps/portal/home/services/individualservices/finesinquiry?firstView=true
2. You will get the option to check for fines in four different ways:
• Vehicle Plate number (where you will be asked to enter the plate number, plate source, plate category and plate code)
• T.C. No.
• Driving licence number (if you choose this option, you will be asked to enter your licence number and source, which is the Emirate that has issued your licence)
• Ticket number (if you choose this option, you will be asked to enter the fine source, fine number and the year when it was issued)
3. Fill in the form, depending on the option you choose.
4. You will receive the details of your fine.
5. Pay the amount.
6. Once you complete the payment, you will receive the report and receipt through an email.
According to Dubai Police, online payments are accepted from UAE and GCC countries only. Credit and debit cards issued from outside UAE and GCC countries are not applicable for online payments.
You can also pay by cash at Dubai Police's Smart Police Stations or SPS centers.
However, if you wish to find out exactly what your mistake was, you can reach out to the Dubai Police customer service line – 901. When I reached out to them, they informed me that I was fined for not using the indicator when changing lanes, which is one of the fines that come under lane discipline for light vehicles.
Light vehicle lane discipline
Here are two traffic violations related to lane discipline that you should keep in mind:
1. Failure to use indicator when changing the vehicle’s direction or taking a turn.
According to Article 83 of the traffic law, not using indicators for turns and while changing lanes is punishable and the errant driver can be fined Dh400 for such offences.
2. Not adhering to lane discipline
According to the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) light vehicle driving guide, regulatory road markings are the ones that tell you what actions you can or cannot do. You will find them drawn in either white or yellow and not adhering to the marking means that you are breaking the traffic law.
No Passing Line
This is a solid line on the road. You must not cross this line to overtake another vehicle or to turn (except in the case of an emergency).
Stop Line
If you are approaching an intersection with a Stop sign or traffic signals, you will also have a white Stop line painted across your lane. In the case of a Stop sign and Stop line, you must come to a complete stop before the line. You must not cross this line unless the signal turns green and the junction is clear.
Give Way Line
Where there is a Give Way sign, there will also be a broken white line across the path of approaching traffic. You must ‘Give Way’ to any vehicle or pedestrian crossing your path. Slow down and stop, if necessary, to avoid a collision. Always make sure the intersection is clear and it is safe to proceed before doing so.
Pedestrian Crossings
Pedestrian crossings are marked with thick white lines across the crossing to make the crossing clearly visible to pedestrians and drivers. You must give way to pedestrians using the crossing.
There are other lane discipline related violations – like using the lanes dedicated for buses and taxis, or using the hard shoulder on a road – which carry a higher financial penalty, as well as black points. To know more, read our guide here and here.
Also, if you believe that the traffic fine was issued incorrectly, Dubai Police also provides a service where motorists can raise a fine dispute. Click here to know more about how to contest a traffic fine.
