The UAE’s Federal Traffic Law also makes clear distinctions when it comes to road safety rules for children. Picture for illustrative purposes. Picture credit: Pexels
Dubai: If you are a
parent in the UAE, familiarise yourself with the country’s legislations around
child safety rules on the road.
How old should a child
be, before it’s safe for them to sit in the front seat? Can you leave your
little one unattended in the car, while you run a quick errand? Does your child
really need a car seat? What’s the proper driving etiquette when you’re behind
a school bus?
Federal Law No. (3) of
2016 or Wadeema’s Law, which is the UAE’s core legal framework dedicated to
protecting and ensuring the rights of children, clearly outlines legislation
for such scenarios, and upholds strict penalties for offenders. The UAE’s Federal
Traffic Law also makes clear distinctions when it comes to road safety rules
for children.
1. Leaving children
unattended in cars
Under Wadeema’s Law,
leaving a child unattended in a vehicle amounts to child neglect.
Imran Khan, legal
consultant at I K Lawyers, said: “Never leave a child alone in a parked
vehicle, even if the air conditioning is running. In the UAE’s extreme climate,
a parked car can become dangerous within minutes if the engine or air
conditioning fails, exposing the child to heatstroke, suffocation, or other
serious harm. This conduct is treated as child neglect under the UAE’s child
protection framework.”
Wadeema’s Law defines
child neglect “as a failure by parents or custodians to take necessary measures
to protect a child’s life, physical and psychological well-being and other
rights from danger”. Khan explained: “Articles 1, 33, 34 and 35 address child
neglect, abandonment and inadequate supervision. Therefore, leaving a child
alone in a vehicle, particularly where it exposes the child to danger, may
result in imprisonment, a fine, or both, depending on the circumstances.”
Any bystanders who
witness a child locked in a vehicle unattended are advised by the Dubai Police
to call the emergency hotline 999, in order to summon the authorities and
rescue teams before it is too late.
Penalty: Offenders can face fines starting from
Dh5,000, up to Dh1 million for more serious cases involving endangerment to
life, along with imprisonment for up to 10 years, depending on the Court’s
assessment.
2. Children in the
front seat
According to the UAE’s
Federal Traffic Law, children are not allowed to sit in the front passenger
seat, whether on their own, or on an adult’s lap. The passenger in the front
seat has to be at least 10 years old or 145cm in height.
Khan added: “Article
58 of Wadeema’s Law places a clear statutory duty on authorities to protect
children from traffic related risks by enforcing safety measures. There is a
strict prohibition on children under 10 years of age sitting in the front seat
of any vehicle, reinforcing wider UAE traffic regulations and child protection
principles that classify such conduct as endangerment.”
Penalty: Dh400 fine for placing a child under 10
in the front seat.
3. Car seat
regulations
The UAE has strict
rules and penalties in place to ensure passengers are appropriately secured in
their vehicle seats. When it comes to children, this equates to using
specialised car seats.
Infants and children
under the age of four must use a child safety seat that is securely placed in
the backseat. According to Article 31 of Ministerial Resolution No. 130 of
1997, all car seats must comply with UAE’s safety standards. Learn more about it here.
Khan advised: “Parents
should make it a habit to check the rear seat before locking the vehicle,
especially when transporting infants in rear-facing car seats, as these seats
make the child less visible and increase the risk of accidental lock-ins.”
Children over the age
of four must use booster seats until they reach a height of 145cm, after which
they are permitted to use the adult seatbelt.
Penalty: Dh400 fine for not providing a child safety
seat for a child aged four or below.
4. Driving in
school zones or near school buses
Always watch out for
school buses, and drive carefully near school zones.
Under Article 91 of
Ministerial Resolution No. 178 of 2017 concerning Rules and Procedures of
Traffic Control, motorists travelling in both directions must come to a complete stop when a school bus’s ‘Stop’ sign is activated.
This means passengers are embarking or disembarking the bus, and you must wait
until the road is clear and the bus’s ‘Stop’ sign has been retracted, before
proceeding.
Penalty: Dh1,000 fine and 10 black points for motorists
who fail to stop when a school bus activates its ‘Stop’ sign.
5. Child pedestrian
safety
In general, according
to Article 5(1) of the UAE’s Federal Traffic Law, motorists in the UAE are
required to slow down at pedestrian crossings, and stop until
pedestrians have completed crossing the road.
Article 7 also states
that motorists should ensure the safety of pedestrians on and off the road,
especially in residential, commercial and recreational areas, places of
worship, and educational and health institutions.
Aman Roads: Beyond
Zero, a digital initiative by Dubai Police, which educates the public about
road safety rules and regulations, shared the following advice for parents to
teach their children, as they learn the proper etiquette of crossing the road:
- Always stop, look and listen, before
crossing the road. Never rush.
- Cross only at designated crossings, such
as pedestrian or zebra crossings, at traffic lights with pedestrian
signals, and in school crossing zones.
- Stay alert and avoid distractions, like
headphones and phone screens. Try to make eye contact with a motorist
before crossing in front of them.
- Be extra careful in parking lots and
driveways as these are high-risk zones, where cars can reverse, or move
without warning.
- Stay close to an adult, whenever possible.
Penalty: There are several penalties when it comes to
road safety rules for pedestrians:
- Dh500 fine and six black points for not
giving priority to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings
- Dh400 and four black points for driving in
educational zones in a way that endangers others’ lives.
- Dh400 fine for stopping a vehicle in a way
that endangers pedestrians or blocks their movement.
- Dh500 fine for blocking a pedestrian
crossing.
