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Road trip in UAE: Simple mistakes could cost you fines of up to Dh3,400
Searches for ‘road trip’ jumped 296 per cent over the past month with experts urging families to check safety before setting off this summer
- PUBLISHED: Mon 13 Jul 2026, 1:08 PM
As thousands of UAE residents prepare for summer getaways, road safety experts are urging families to double-check their vehicles before setting off, warning that simple oversights could prove costly.
Searches for "road trip" in the UAE have surged by 296 per cent over the past month, according to data analysed by Bin Yaber Driving Institute using Glimpse, reflecting growing interest in summer travel.
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However, while many families focus on planning routes and packing luggage, overlooking basic safety rules, such as failing to buckle up rear-seat passengers, placing a child in the front seat, driving without a child seat, overloading the vehicle, or using a mobile phone behind the wheel could leave drivers facing fines of up to Dh3,400, even without speeding or jumping a red light.
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“The numbers tell us families are excited to travel, but excitement and preparation are two different things,” said Jaber Al Harbi, Managing Director of Bin Yaber Driving Institute.
“The mistakes that catch families out are almost never intentional. They’re the ones that feel harmless.”
Child safety first
One of the most common mistakes families make before a road trip involves travelling with young children. Under UAE traffic laws, children under the age of four must be secured in an approved child restraint seat at all times. Failing to do so carries a Dh400 fine and four black points for the driver, regardless of the journey's length.
Children under 10 years old or shorter than 145cm are also prohibited from sitting in the front passenger seat, with drivers facing another Dh400 fine if they ignore the rule. Experts say front-seat airbags are designed for adults and can pose serious risks to young children during a collision.
Buckle up, front and back
Seat belts remain one of the simplest yet most overlooked safety measures during family journeys. Drivers are legally responsible for ensuring that everyone in the vehicle, including rear-seat passengers, are buckled up. Each unbuckled passenger results in a Dh400 fine for the driver, while motorists who fail to wear their seat belts face an additional Dh400 fine and four black points.
Despite years of awareness campaigns, compliance remains relatively low. According to a January 2026 RoadSafetyUAE and Al Wathba Insurance survey involving 1,010 UAE residents, only 24 per cent of rear-seat passengers said they always wear a seat belt, compared with 86 per cent of drivers and front-seat passengers.
Abu Dhabi Police have also reported that 60 per cent of road fatalities in the emirate are linked to people not wearing seat belts.
Don’t overload the car
Packed boots, beach equipment, and extra luggage are all part of a family road trip, but experts warn that overloading a vehicle can affect braking, steering, and overall stability. Under UAE traffic laws, driving an overloaded vehicle carries a Dh500 fine and four black points.
“An overloaded car behaves differently in an emergency stop,” Al Harbi said. “Families find this out too late, either at a checkpoint or after an incident.”
He added that many motorists are unaware that their vehicle’s maximum load limit is displayed on a sticker inside the driver’s door frame.
Check your tires
Tires should also be inspected before embarking on a long summer drive, particularly as high temperatures place additional stress on aging rubber. Driving with worn or expired tires carries a Dh500 fine, four black points, and a seven-day vehicle impoundment.
According to the Ministry of Interior, more than 37,900 motorists were fined for unsafe tires in 2024, including 26,413 in Abu Dhabi, 4,099 in Sharjah and 3,316 in Dubai, highlighting the continued focus on tire safety across the country.
Put the phone away
Long drives can also create more distractions, especially with children in the car. Whether checking navigation, replying to messages, or adjusting entertainment systems on a handheld device, motorists caught using a mobile phone while driving face a Dh800 fine and four black points. Since October 2024, repeat offenders have also faced vehicle impoundment for up to 30 days.
Research cited by RoadSafetyUAE found that drivers who text while driving are 20 times more likely to be involved in a crash, making distracted driving one of the leading causes of serious accidents.
A costly start to the holiday
Taken together, these seemingly minor mistakes can quickly become expensive. A driver travelling with a toddler not secured in a child seat, a child sitting in the front seat, an unbuckled passenger, an overloaded vehicle, worn tires, and a mobile phone in hand could face up to Dh3,400 in fines, along with 16 black points for offenses that carry them, before even reaching the motorway.
Before setting off, Al Harbi recommends that families spend just five minutes carrying out a few essential checks: ensuring every passenger is wearing a seat belt, confirming children are seated correctly, checking that luggage is within the vehicle’s rated capacity and does not obstruct the rear view, and inspecting tire pressure and tread.
“Five minutes before you leave solves every mistake on this list,” he said. “None of them require special equipment or planning. They just require the habit.”
Arwa Almazrouei is an Arabic editor passionate about storytelling and journalism, and creating impactful content that highlights culture, society, and the inspirational.