The Laws of the Road in Dubai

Driving in Dubai might be difficult and scary at first. About 180 different nationalities call Dubai home, and they all bring their own set of driving skills and habits with them. Drivers from Asia and the Middle East may find the traffic more orderly than their Western counterparts. Experience operating in Dubai and familiarity with the country’s traffic laws should make even the most seasoned drivers feel at ease. The ultimate guide to buy driving license online.

Those with valid residency visas can only obtain a local driver’s license. Many visitors to Dubai may rent a car for the first month or so while they wait for their residency visa to be processed. You will need your domestic driver’s license and an International Driving Permit to rent a car.

Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Thrifty are some well-known automobile rental companies with locations in Dubai. You can also get a temporary driver’s license if you need to use a personal vehicle. A temporary permit is valid for six months and is issued at the Dubai Traffic Police Station.

Once you have a Dubai residence, you must get a local driving license – you may no longer utilize a temporary or international permit. However, those of certain nations can receive local support by merely displaying their driving permit and completing some paperwork.

These nationalities include numerous from Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, and South Korea. Others will need to take and pass a driver’s education course and exam at an approved driving school before getting behind the wheel. Such schools can be found in Belhasa, Dubai, the Emirates, Galadari, and Al Ahli. In addition, the Dubai Traffic Department driving test can be scheduled conveniently through the driving school.

One of the first things an ex-pat may do after getting a residency visa is go automobile shopping. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to many dealerships selling vehicles from all the leading manufacturers. 4×4 Motors, Al Futtaim AutoMall, Western Auto, and SunCity Motors are just some places to get a pre-owned car. You may also find quality used automobiles for sale in Dubai by searching the local classifieds.

Once you’re behind the wheel, you must familiarize yourself with your destination’s road regulations. Driving defensively and staying alert is an everyday necessity. In Dubai, traffic flows to the right, and cars are conducted on the left. Drivers who need to take it easy should stay in the far right lane. Driving slowly in the far left lane will result in a car behind you beeping its horn and flashing its high lights at you.

Changing lanes without signaling, coasting through stop signs instead of stopping altogether, and honking horns loudly as soon as the light turns green at a traffic signal are all behaviors that drivers commonly engage in. In addition, watch out for pedestrians who may suddenly dart across the street. An automatic toll system (called Salik) was recently built to alleviate traffic on main thoroughfares.

The emirate has mobile radar cameras to catch speeders and people who disobey traffic signals. There is no tolerance for drunk driving. A simple impolite gesture made out of annoyance at another driver can have serious legal consequences. You will not receive notification of a fine through the mail but can look it up on the Dubai Police Traffic website or call them.

Vehicle registration fees typically cover fines accrued during the previous year. If you are involved in a minor collision, you should pull out of the way of traffic, exchange information with the other driver, and then head to the police station as soon as possible to submit a report. When police are called to a situation, they typically fill up an account there and then. Without these documents, getting repairs covered by insurance will be challenging.

Dubai has one of the highest death rates from traffic accidents worldwide. To make the roads safer for residents and tourists alike, the Unified Federal Traffic Law instituted a black point system for drivers in March of 2008.

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