One of the most dangerous things to do while on the wheels is turning the car into another lane without using the side indicators. Even if a safe distance is maintained between other cars on the road, it is imperative on the part of the driver to follow the basic rule of lane change ie put on the relevant side indicator.
Whenever an individual is driving on the public road, as a lane discipline he needs to ensure that he maintains his lane or changes the lane with caution.
It is stated that if an individual is driving in Abu Dhabi it is important that he should know the rules of the road. Responsible driving is a duty of every driver in the UAE. When an individual is aware of the rules of the road, he must avoid paying traffic fines in Abu Dhabi and also pay attention to safety while driving.
In this regard, certain new rules were implemented in July 2020. Some heavier fines for violators have been imposed as part of these rules. In line with their Safety Trail campaign, in 2020, the Abu Dhabi Police has urged motorists to make use of indicators promptly whenever they change lanes to avoid traffic accidents and fines.
Colonel Nasser Abdullah Al-Saadi, head of the security media department, explained that Abu Dhabi police has been promoting the campaign through its social media to spread awareness on safe driving practices.
He urged drivers to indicate their intention much ahead of changing lanes and not suddenly. Signals should be used whenever drivers are slowing down the vehicle or changing lanes or for emergencies on the road.
A total of 16,378 motorists were fined in Abu Dhabi in 2021 for not using indicators or turn signals while changing lanes, according to Abu Dhabi Police.
Drivers who don’t use indicators before changing lanes or turning or altering the direction in any way on the roads will face a fine of 400 AED. Similarly, driving with a mobile phone previously used to cost a fine of 200 AED but now it has been increased to 800 AED.
Police have urged drivers to use the turn signals promptly and to turn them off at an appropriate time to avoid traffic accidents. By not using indicators a driver is triggering a serious risk of accident for himself as well as other car drivers on the road, according to police.
Police stated that “Changing lanes or altering direction without using the turn signals or indicators, whether from right to left and vice versa, or when turning, distracts the driver behind or the one occupying other lanes, which may lead to collisions, especially if the motorist is speeding and unable to break or avoid the vehicle in front of them.”
Drivers must use the indicators or turn signals whenever needed, as such gestures play an important part in preventing accidents.
If an individual’s vehicle enters another lane without paying attention to other cars or modes of transport, then he will get slapped with the stipulated fines, whether the act was intentional or unintentional.
Violation of lane discipline is the leading cause of road accidents and hence huge Traffic Fines in the UAE stand justified. It’s also one of the top reasons for the failure of new drivers in the RTA driving tests. Bad lane discipline is usually caused by poor observation, inattentiveness, or reckless driving. It’s important to keep oneself calm while driving.
Lack of lane discipline stands like a sore thumb in the country given that the UAE has a high percentage of expats with varied driving experiences from across the world.
According to the new traffic law that was implemented in the UAE on July 1, 2017, traffic authorities have divided lane changing violations into two different categories.
The penalties for sudden swerving include a fine of AED 1,000 and four black points issued against the driver’s license. On the other hand, there is a penalty of AED 400 fine and four black points for changing lanes without using indicators. Any motorist who is found guilty of committing both these violations at the same time can face a hefty penalty of AED 1,400 fine and 4 black points.
