Buckling Up Is Now Mandatory for Everyone in the UAE | EWmums.com
 

Buckling Up Is Now Mandatory for Everyone in the UAE

The new law requires all passengers to wear seat belts.

Posted on

20 July 2017

All passengers must wear a seatbelt

As part of the new traffic laws that have been implemented in the UAE, failure to buckle up passengers (front or rear) will incur a hefty fine as well as black points. This is part of the UAE's commitment to road safety.

Although police is currently exercising leniency by stopping violators and giving them advice on safety measures and verbal warning, drivers will soon be fined AED 400 and four black points on their license if they fail to make sure that all adults and children in their care wear seatbelts.

Major-General Mohamed Saif Al Zafeen, head of the Federal Traffic Council and Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police, however, said the force will progressively get stringent about seat belt violations, as using seat belts is crucial in reducing the death toll and injuries in accidents, especially among children.

He added that "70 per cent of people currently do not wear seat belts while sitting in the front, but after the introduction of the new law, we expect that 100 per cent motorists, whether drivers or passengers, will fasten their seat belts."

"Every person travelling in a vehicle must wear a seat belt or use a child safety seat. Child seats are mandatory for children aged 4 and under and for all passengers, including rear seat ones, and the front seat passenger must have a minimum height of 145cm and not be under age 10," added Maj Gen Al Zafeen.

This law has been welcomed very positively by motorists in the UAE, as well as by the traffic police who hope that the toll of deaths caused by traffic accidents will be reduced significantly with the implementation of this law. As per research conducted in some European countries like Sweden, the country has had the buckle all passengers rule in place for years and reported only 2 deaths per 100,000 people.