Dh400 fine: Abu Dhabi Police urges drivers for giving way to overtaking cars in left lane

The Abu Dhabi Police today called on drivers to contribute to making the roads safe by not harassing vehicles advancing on the left lane used for overtaking.

Driving close to them, using high beams and honking causes confusion among motorists, leading to traffic accidents, the police warned.

The Traffic and Patrols Directorate in the Central Operations Sector of the force called on drivers to stick to the right lane when driving at slow speeds for everyone’s safety. The Directorate explained that the fine for not giving way to vehicles that have priority coming from behind or from the left overtaking lane is Dh400.

Scope of law

A statement issued by the pointed out that the violation of not leaving a safe distance between vehicles is one of the most prominent causes of traffic accidents. The driver who causes an accident due to not leaving a sufficient safety distance is subject to Law No. 5 of 2020, which results in the seizure of vehicle in the emirate of Abu Dhabi and a Dh5,000 fee to release the vehicle. The vehicle is impounded until this amount is paid within a maximum period of three months.

“In case of non-payment of the dues, the vehicle will be referred for sale at public auction, in addition to imposing a fine of Dh400 and four black points on the traffic file of the driver, police said.

Three-seconds rule

The statement added that awareness and law enforcement go hand in hand in curbing reckless driving. The safe distance depends on the vehicle speed. It can be calculated using the three-seconds rule, which stipulates that the car in front of you should have passed by a roadside point of reference – such as a lamp post – three seconds before your car passes the same mark.