If you’ve ever driven around Dubai and wondered what all those cameras are monitoring, you’re not alone.
While most people know they catch speeding, UAE traffic cameras do much more—tracking everything from drivers using their phones to detecting noisy vehicles.
Whether you’re an experienced motorist or a newcomer, here’s a guide to the 11 surprising violations Dubai traffic cameras are monitoring.
What Dubai Traffic Cameras Are Looking For
- Speeding
Speed cameras are the most familiar type of traffic monitoring in Dubai. The consequences for speeding depend on how much you exceed the limit, with fines and penalties escalating on a sliding scale:
- Exceeding the speed limit by up to 20 km/h: Dhs 300 fine
- Up to 30 km/h: Dhs 600 fine
- Up to 40 km/h: Dhs 700 fine
- Up to 50 km/h: Dhs 1,000 fine
- Up to 60 km/h: Dhs 1,500 fine + 6 black points
- Over 60 km/h: Dhs 2,000 fine + 12 black points + 30-day vehicle confiscation
- Up to 80 km/h: Dhs 2,000 fine + 12 black points + 30-day vehicle confiscation
2) Going Too Slow
Just as speeding is penalized, driving significantly below the minimum speed limit can also trigger fines, as it disrupts traffic flow and increases the risk of accidents.
Believe it or not, certain areas in Dubai, usually highways, have minimum speed limits to keep traffic flowing smoothly. These limits are clearly signposted, and driving below the required speed can result in penalties.
- Fine: Dhs 400
- Black points: 4
3) Expired Vehicle Registration
Traffic cameras also monitor for vehicles with expired registration, ensuring that all cars on the road are legally compliant and safe to drive.
Dubai employs automatic number-plate recognition cameras to detect vehicles with expired registration. Driving with an expired registration can lead to serious consequences:
- Fine: Dhs 500
- Black points: 4
- Vehicle confiscation: 1 week
4) Noise Violations
Traffic cameras also monitor for excessively noisy vehicles, ensuring compliance with Dubai’s regulations on sound levels
AI-powered radars can detect excessive noise from vehicles, including modified exhausts, loud revving, aggressive engine sounds, and more. Violating these regulations carries one of the heaviest fines for traffic offences in Dubai:
- Fine: Dhs 2,000
- Black points: 12
5) Texting While Driving
Dubai’s traffic cameras also monitor drivers using their phones behind the wheel, including texting, calling, or using apps, to prevent distracted driving and improve road safety.
In 2024, Dubai introduced silent traffic radars that can detect whether drivers are using their phones while behind the wheel. Fines for this offence are aligned with other distracted driving violations:
- Fine: Dhs 800
- Black points: 4
6) Not Wearing a Seatbelt
Traffic cameras also monitor whether drivers and passengers are properly wearing seatbelts, a crucial safety requirement on all roads in Dubai.
Dubai’s traffic cameras can detect whether both drivers and passengers are properly wearing seatbelts. Failing to do so carries the following penalties:
- Fine: Dhs 400
- Black points: 4
7) Running a Red Light
Traffic cameras also monitor intersections for drivers who run red lights, a major cause of accidents in the city.
Dubai’s red-light cameras use infrared technology to capture violators discreetly, without distracting other road users. Penalties vary depending on the type of vehicle:
- Motorbikes and light vehicles: Dhs 1,000 fine, 12 black points, and 30-day vehicle confiscation
- Heavy vehicles: Dhs 3,000 fine and one-year license freeze
8) Failing to Stop for Pedestrians
Traffic cameras also monitor drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians at crossings, ensuring safety for everyone on the road.
In certain locations, radars catch drivers who don’t stop for pedestrians at crossings. If someone is waiting to cross, stopping isn’t optional—it’s the law.
- Fine: Dhs 500
9) Swerving Between Lanes
Traffic cameras also monitor drivers who weave or swerve between lanes, a dangerous practice that increases the risk of accidents and disrupts traffic flow.
Sudden lane changes, especially near traffic signals, are prohibited. Special radars monitor erratic driving, so always use your indicators before switching lanes.
- Light vehicles: Dhs 400
- Heavy vehicles: Dhs 1,500 + 12 black points
10) Ignoring a School Bus Stop Sign
Traffic cameras also monitor drivers who fail to stop when a school bus displays its stop sign, ensuring the safety of children boarding or leaving the bus.
Dubai’s school buses are equipped with cameras that detect drivers who ignore the stop signs on the side of the bus. Failing to stop triggers an automatic fine:
- Fine: Dhs 1,000
- Black points: 10
11) Truck Lane Violations
Traffic cameras also monitor trucks that use lanes designated for lighter vehicles, ensuring proper lane discipline and safer traffic flow on highways.
If you’ve ever spotted a large truck in the fast lane, you’ll know why truck lane radars are necessary. These cameras ensure heavy vehicles stay in their designated lanes and don’t disrupt traffic flow.
- Fine: Dhs 1,500
- Black points: 12
With all this high-tech monitoring, Dubai’s roads are safer than ever. Follow the rules, keep your phone aside, and respect red lights—your wallet and your driving record will thank you.
