If you’re the one behind the wheel in the UAE, it’s not just Santa that’s watching you, but the police is too. Every second.

The only difference, though, is that Santa rewards you (for being nice, obviously) and the police penalise you for being ‘naughty.’ Of course, rules are important. Without them, it’s be impossible to function without chaos.

As part of our campaign to encourage safe driving, here are things to note; a list of Dubai Traffic fines [You should know most of these, but a little top-up reminder once in a while is nice]:

Using Your Mobile While Driving

So it’s Tuesday morning and you’re running late to work, spilling coffee while you’re dodging and zooming past traffic. Suddenly, your boss calls you, and you’re forced to come up with a valid explanation of why you’re late to that “extremely important” meeting (as it always is, when you’re late).

An officer spots you and you immediately get fined. It’s illegal to drive and hold your mobile phone. So take my advice and ignore your boss. Saves you a fine of AED 200!

Or you could install a hands-free device in your vehicle, but my way gets you to ignore your boss so, make your choice.

Running a Red Light

Well, you tried dodging the traffic but to no avail. Everybody’s fighting the same battle as you and it’s the survival of the fittest. After what seems like hours for the light to change, you urge to jump over the cars in front of you when you finally see that shining green. But tough luck, the light’s just about to turn back to that glaring red and you see no way out other than zooming past it before the adjacent signal goes green too (no pun intended – traffic signals don’t care about the environment).

Well, ‘patience is key’ – repeat after me.

You should have waited, because now, look who’s got an AED 800 fine, 8 black points and 15 days of vehicle confiscation? That’s right, you.

Jaywalking

So, you finally see your office ahead and you carry in your heart a budding hope that you’ll find parking. Well, you did find one, but it happens to be across the road. You see the zebra crossing ahead but rather, being the rebel that you are, you decide to cross the road right from where you are. Vehicles that contain people as late as you zoom past and you run for your dear life trying to make it to the other side.

Well, crossing at an unauthorized point, say hello to that fine of AED 200! (Wouldn’t be surprised if you were buddies with that officer by now.)

Children in the front seat

You’re back from work, it’s Tuesday afternoon now, and you’re taking your little cousin or your 9 year old kid to their dance classes. The stubborn kids make a racket and demand to sit in the front and you, exhausted from your day, give in.

You know the end to this story. It’s illegal for children under the age of 10 to travel in the front seat of a vehicle.

Here’s your AED 400 fine, have a nice day.