Up to Dh80,000 in violations: UAE residents reveal how they rack up, budget for traffic fines

For Emirati driver H. K, 2023 was her worst year for fines since she began driving, accumulating a total of Dh80,000. “Most of them were speeding fines,” she said. “Some I did not know about, but I knew I had been speeding in some cases. Most of it happened on long drives when I was unsure of the speed limits.”

Other fines she accumulated included those for lane discipline and using a mobile phone while driving. H. K admitted that she has received a number of speeding fines in previous years as well.

“At the start of each year, I pledge to drive better, but at some point, I invariably get late, and I end up speeding,” she said. “However, when I saw the bill of Dh80,000, my jaw dropped. It was the highest amount I ever paid. I am actively trying to ensure I am a better driver this year.”

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Out of the 9,100 people who responded to a Khaleej Times poll about traffic fines, over 7,500 people said they had accrued penalties of less than Dh5,000 yearly. However, more than 500 people said they had penalties of over Dh20,000.

Last week, Abu Dhabi police announced that they had penalised over 300,000 people for driving too slowly on the highways. The emirate introduced a minimum speed of 120kmph in the first two lanes of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Road in both directions in May 2023 to prevent traffic accidents.

Indian expat Shanil Abdul Rahman often got fined for slow driving. “My wife and I travel between Ajman and Abu Dhabi a lot, and sometimes, we get flashed on that particular highway,” he said. "This year, when we allocated our yearly budget, we set aside Dh2,000 for fines. However, despite our best efforts, we got the fine for slow speed, twice on the same road within minutes of each other. We are already up to Dh1,400 with half a year to go, so I doubt we can stay within our budget.”

For some, fines are considered even when making important decisions. German expat Maheen Husainy said that it was one of the aspects that she and her husband discussed when thinking of places to move.

“Right now we live in Jumeirah and my husband works close by,” she said. “As rents went up, we had a discussion on moving a bit further away from the city. However, when we calculated the expenses of petrol and the possibilities of fines, we decided against moving.”

She said that as an experienced driver, she knew that fines are more likely when moving further away. “The longer the daily drive, the more there are chances for negligence,” she said. “Whether for speeding or lane discipline, driving longer distances when tired can cause a lapse in judgement. Right now, my children’s school and husband’s office are close by, so we considerably reduce our instances of distracted driving.”

Learning a lesson

According to Pakistani expat Sara K (name changed for privacy), the largest fine she has seen in her family was the Dh30,000 racked up by her younger brother. “It was the first year he got his licence,” she recalled. “He was 18 and thought he was Michael Schumacher. There were many speeding fines. When our father got the bill at the time of the renewal, it was like a bomb that was dropped on the family.”