Dubai authorities warn motorists: These summer driving mistakes could cost you Dhs1,000
The warning comes as high summer temperatures increase the importance of vehicle maintenance, particularly tyre checks, while breakdowns and unsafe driving decisions can create additional risks for motorists and other road users
11 August, 2026
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Dubai motorists are being urged to pay closer attention to vehicle condition and driving behaviour this summer, with Dubai Police highlighting a series of road and vehicle-safety violations that can result in fines, black points and vehicle impoundment.
The warning comes as high summer temperatures increase the importance of vehicle maintenance, particularly tyre checks, while breakdowns and unsafe driving decisions can create additional risks for motorists and other road users.
Among the offences highlighted by Dubai Police, some of the most costly mistakes can result in a Dhs1,000 fine.
Stopping in the middle of the road carries a Dhs 1,000 fine and six black points, while overtaking on the hard shoulder carries the same financial penalty and number of black points.
Other summer-related violations can also leave motorists facing significant penalties. Driving with damaged, worn-out or otherwise unfit tyres carries a Dhs 500 fine, four black points and a seven-day vehicle impoundment.
The warnings come against the backdrop of thousands of vehicle-safety violations recorded by Dubai Police during the first five months of 2026.
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The force recorded 3,589 vehicle-safety violations during the period, comprising 1,737 vehicles that failed to meet safety and security requirements, 1,026 unroadworthy vehicles and 826 vehicles with expired tyres.
For Dubai motorists, the figures underline why vehicle preparation and safe driving decisions become particularly important during the summer.
Dubai Police highlights 3,589 vehicle-safety violations
Dubai Police’s June 28, 2026 summer vehicle-safety warning called on motorists to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, inspect tyres regularly and verify that all safety systems are functioning properly as temperatures rise.
The enforcement figures provide an indication of the scale of vehicle-safety issues being identified.
Of the 3,589 violations recorded during the first five months of the year, 1,737 involved vehicles that did not meet safety and security requirements.
A further 1,026 involved unroadworthy vehicles, while 826 involved expired tyres.
The figures place tyre condition firmly among the concerns facing motorists during the summer.
Driving with damaged, worn-out or unfit tyres can result in a Dhs 500 fine, four black points and a seven-day vehicle impoundment.
Expired tyres fall under the tyre-safety offence and carry the same penalty for unfit tyres.
Dubai Police is specifically intensifying checks on worn-out and expired tyres during summer, when motorists are being urged to ensure their vehicles are properly maintained before setting out.
Tyres remain a critical part of summer preparation
For motorists, tyre checks are one of the clearest practical steps arising from the Dubai Police warning.
The force has urged drivers to regularly inspect their tyres and ensure that vehicles are safe to drive.
The issue is also relevant to motorists planning longer journeys, where a vehicle’s condition becomes even more important.
Bin Yaber Driving Institute MD Jaber Al Harbi has similarly highlighted the importance of drivers checking their vehicles before travelling.
His advice, included in the information provided for this story, is that motorists should check tyre pressure and tread before a long drive rather than waiting until they are already on the road.
The driving institute’s perspective adds another dimension to the police warning. While enforcement figures show how many motorists are being caught with vehicle-safety problems, driving instructors see the everyday habits that can allow those problems to develop.
The message from both sides is ultimately focused on preparation.
The Dhs 1,000 mistake that can follow a breakdown
Summer vehicle problems do not necessarily end with a mechanical repair.
If a vehicle breaks down because of overheating, tyre failure or another mechanical fault, what the driver does next can have traffic-safety and financial consequences.
Dubai Police has warned motorists that stopping in the middle of the road carries a Dhs1,000 fine and six black points.
The offence is particularly relevant when a vehicle develops a problem during summer because a stranded car can become an obstruction to other motorists.
A separate offence for obstructing traffic carries a Dhs500 fine.
For drivers, the distinction reinforces the importance of taking appropriate safety measures after a breakdown rather than simply remaining where the vehicle stopped.
The information supplied for the story notes that motorists should activate hazard lights immediately, move everyone out of the vehicle to a safe location, place a warning triangle behind the vehicle where possible and call the police rather than remaining inside or on the road.
The broader point is that a mechanical failure should not become a secondary road-safety problem.
Hard shoulder overtaking can also cost Dhs 1,000
The hard shoulder is another area where motorists can make a costly summer driving mistake.
Dubai Police has reminded drivers that overtaking on the hard shoulder attracts a Dhs1,000 fine and six black points.
The hard shoulder needs to remain available for emergencies and broken-down vehicles.
That is particularly relevant during summer because motorists experiencing tyre failures, overheating or other mechanical problems may need somewhere to move their vehicles away from active traffic.
Using the hard shoulder to overtake therefore creates a potential conflict between drivers attempting to bypass traffic and motorists who genuinely need the space because of an emergency.
For motorists, the potential saving in journey time can come with a Dhs 1,000 fine and six black points.
Unauthorised modifications raise another safety concern
Dubai Police has also warned motorists against fitting unauthorised modifications or accessories to their vehicles.
Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, warned that such additions can cause mechanical failures and are a significant contributor to vehicle fires.
The warning forms part of the wider summer focus on vehicle safety.
According to the information supplied, motorists are being urged to ensure that all safety and security measures are in place, carry out regular vehicle inspections and comply with traffic laws.
The issue is therefore not limited to the condition of tyres.
A vehicle can have other safety problems that may not be immediately obvious to the driver, while unauthorised modifications can introduce additional risks.
For motorists, the advice is to consider the overall condition and safety of the vehicle rather than focusing on one component alone.
Bin Yaber’s perspective: preparation matters
The Bin Yaber perspective helps put the police warnings into the context of everyday driving behaviour.
Al Harbi has pointed to the tendency of motorists to underestimate mistakes that may appear harmless at the time.
The information provided describes these as the kinds of mistakes that drivers may not necessarily regard as dangerous, even though they can have consequences once conditions change.
That is particularly relevant during summer travel.
Motorists may be preparing vehicles for longer journeys, carrying additional luggage or travelling with more passengers. Those circumstances can make basic preparation more important.
The information supplied also notes that Bin Yaber advises motorists to check their tyre pressure and tread before a long journey.
For families travelling by road, the institute’s guidance extends to ensuring passengers are properly secured and that vehicles are not overloaded.
Overloading can add another Dhs 500 penalty
Summer travel can also mean additional passengers and luggage.
According to the information provided, overloading a light vehicle carries a Dhs 500 fine and four black points.
The maximum load rating is typically displayed on a sticker inside the driver’s door frame.
The Bin Yaber insight is relevant here because vehicle preparation is not only about whether the engine starts or whether the tyres appear suitable.
The way a vehicle is loaded can also affect how it performs.
For motorists preparing for a summer journey, the basic principle is to ensure that passengers and luggage remain within the vehicle’s permitted capacity.
A breakdown requires the right response
Dubai Police’s warnings around stopping and obstructing traffic also highlight the importance of knowing what to do when a vehicle fails.
The information supplied for this story states that failure to take necessary road-safety measures after a vehicle breakdown carries a Dhs 500 fine.
The recommended response includes activating hazard lights, moving occupants to a safe location, placing a warning triangle behind the vehicle where possible and contacting the police.
Stopping in the middle of the road is treated separately and carries the more substantial Dhs1,000 fine and six black points.
That makes the distinction important for motorists: a breakdown may be unavoidable, but the way the driver responds remains critical.
Summer driving mistakes and their penalties
| Violation | Fine | Black points | Additional penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaged, worn-out or unfit tyres | Dhs500 | 4 | 7-day vehicle impoundment |
| Expired tyres | Dhs500 | 4 | 7-day vehicle impoundment |
| Stopping in the middle of the road | Dhs1,000 | 6 | — |
| Obstructing traffic | Dhs500 | — | — |
| Overtaking on the hard shoulder | Dhs1,000 | 6 | — |
| Overloading a light vehicle | Dhs500 | 4 | — |
| Failure to take necessary safety measures after a breakdown | Dhs500 | — | — |
The penalties demonstrate how several apparently separate summer driving mistakes can carry financial consequences, alongside black points and, in the case of unfit tyres, vehicle impoundment.
Dubai Police and Bin Yaber converge on prevention
The police enforcement figures and Bin Yaber’s driving-institute perspective ultimately point towards the same conclusion: summer road safety starts before motorists begin their journeys.
Dubai Police’s data shows that 3,589 vehicle-safety violations were recorded in the first five months of 2026, with unfit vehicles, vehicles failing safety requirements and expired tyres accounting for the recorded cases.
Bin Yaber’s guidance focuses on the practical habits motorists can adopt before setting off, including checking tyres and preparing vehicles properly for journeys.
The two perspectives therefore complement one another.
For Dubai motorists, the checklist is relatively straightforward: make sure the vehicle is roadworthy, inspect tyres, ensure safety systems are working, avoid unauthorised modifications, do not overload the vehicle and know how to respond if a breakdown occurs.
Once on the road, drivers should also avoid decisions that can create additional danger — including stopping in the middle of the road or using the hard shoulder to overtake.
The immediate consequence of some of these mistakes can be a Dhs 1,000 fine, while other violations can bring Dhs 500 penalties, black points and vehicle impoundment.
But the wider message from Dubai Police and Bin Yaber is about prevention rather than penalties.
For motorists, preparing the vehicle before a summer journey and making safer decisions on the road can help avoid turning an ordinary drive into a costly and potentially dangerous incident.
