Be honest. Have you ever looked at your phone when you’re at a red light? Had a sandwich on the way to work? Got hung up in traffic, played with your hair in the rearview mirror? Most drivers in the UAE have undertaken at least one of these. But all these are considered distracted driving under UAE law. And the penalties are serious – Dh800 fine, four black points on your licence and, in Dubai, your car is taken away for 30 days. These are the five habits that trip most people up.
1. Phone Use Behind the Wheel
This one is #1 on the list every year. The moment you take your phone out while driving – whether it’s to make a call, check a message, scroll through Instagram or even just read a notification – you are breaking the law. The fine is 800 Dh and four black points. In Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and all other emirates this is true. It has an extra sting in Dubai. Using the phone while driving immediately results in the car being seized for 30 days, under Administrative Decision No. 1 of 2024. Not parked. Taken. And yes, holding your phone at a stoplight still counts. A lot of people think it’s okay to stop the car. It doesn’t. The engine is running, you are in the driver’s seat, that’s enough. Bluetooth-enabled hands-free calling is allowed, but officers can still pull you over if they think the call is distracting you. In 2026, smart cameras in Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be able to identify hand positions inside a vehicle, even at high speed. The camera watches you whether you see it or not. If you work in or around Ras Al Khaimah and commute a lot, it helps to know your options — browse the full list of Companies In Ras Al Khaimah to discover employers across different sectors in the emirate.
2. Driving While Eating or Drinking
Coffee on the commute to work. A quick snack at the meetings. A bottle of water for the long trip. They are like nothing. But, eating while driving has been named by the Abu Dhabi Police as one of the most dangerous habits on UAE roads in 2024, placing it right next to phone use. The law doesn’t say you have to be on your phone to get a distracted driving ticket. If you take your hands off the wheel or your eyes off the road, it counts. This means eating, drinking, or even simply opening something. The penalty is the same, Dh800 and four black points. If you swerved because of the distraction, that’s another Dh1,000 fine and four more black points on top under Article 29 of the UAE Federal Traffic Law. Best bet is to eat before you go, or stop somewhere safe if you need to break. It saves money and it really does make you safer.
3. Use of Makeup Or Grooming While Driving
The morning rush is something. Many people use the car as additional time to complete getting ready. UAE authorities have, however, designated grooming behind the wheel as a distracted driving offence. Putting lipstick on, fixing your hair, shaving, putting on contact lenses – all of these are in the same bag. Dh800 fine and four black points. If a camera or officer sees it and your car also swerved, then the swerving charge gets added on separately. Traffic officials are saying it loud and clear: There are no exceptions under the law for “just a quick fix.” It only takes a few seconds of not looking at the road for things to go wrong, especially on busy UAE highways. In the house or in the car. It takes 2 extra minutes and saves you from a very expensive mistake. If you are looking for a good place to eat in Dubai after the commute, the guide to the best Restaurants in Dubai has options across every budget and cuisine.
4. Poke around the radio, GPS or AC unit
This one surprises people because it is so normal. You’d like to skip a song. You have to change the gps route. The AC is cranked and you want to turn it down. You reach over for a second and suddenly the car skids. That drifting is where the trouble begins. Distracted driving is adjusting while driving. If it causes swerving, even a slight one, Article 29 kicks in with a separate Dh1,000 fine and four black points. That means an instant of reaching for the radio could cost you Dh1,800 and eight black points altogether. It is easy to fix. Get everything set before you go – GPS destination, music, temperature, mirrors. If you need to change something during the drive and it can’t wait, pull over safely. UAE black points system has total 24 points maximum. Then your licence is suspended for three months the first time, six months the second time and a year plus a retest the third time. Eight points for one incident starts to add up fast.
5. Turn around to deal with children or passengers
Mom and dad know this one well. A kid in the back seat drops something or starts crying or needs help with something and your instinct is to turn around and deal with it. But reaching back to grab something or look at the back seat takes your eyes off the road and is distracted driving. There are no exceptions to the law to care for a child. The officers and cameras treat it like any other distraction. The fine is 800 dirhams and four black points. “Plus, if you have your child not properly secured in a child seat, that’s a different violation — Dh400 fine and four more black points. The best thing to do is to sort out anything in the back seat before you leave. If something urgent comes up while you’re driving, pull over, sort it out and then continue. It takes more time. This is also the only option that does not involve a fine. Sharjah has some great options to relax after a long day on the road with the family – check the best Shopping Malls in Sharjah for a relaxed family outing with dining and entertainment all in one place.
How police catch distracted drivers
The short answer: Easier than ever. Dubai and Abu Dhabi have installed AI smart cameras on major roads that can read hand positions inside a vehicle, and detect if a driver is looking down and flag unusual movements — all at highway speed and in low light. “The system is automated. A camera can mean a fine, a black points record and in Dubai, an impoundment notice with no officer present. The camera network is supplemented by daily ground patrols. Dubai Police recorded 648,631 traffic violations in the UAE during 2024. Many of those were distracted driving cases. Authorities have said enforcement will only get harder as camera technology improves. If you think a fine has been issued in error, for example, if a camera mistook a water bottle for a phone, you can challenge the fine at a police station or through the Dubai Police or Abu Dhabi Police apps within the specified time frame. But the easiest thing is still not to provide them with a reason to fine you in the first place.
Something can go very wrong in five seconds of not watching the road. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Everything else can wait. For more UAE driving tips and helpful guides, check out Ever List.
