Dubai: The moment you hear a siren from an ambulance or police patrol car, make sure you safely give way to the emergency vehicle, while driving on UAE roads.In emergencies, every second counts, so when fire trucks, ambulances or police patrols are on their way to address an emergency, motorists are required to always yield, safely and promptly.Here is all you need to know about the UAE’s traffic laws, what road priority is, and how to safely give way to emergency vehicles on the road.Understanding road priorityThe UAE’s Federal Traffic Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 On Traffic Regulation sets out clear road priorities in Article 6. As per the Article, priority on the road should be given as follows:Official Processions.Civil defence vehicles on duty.Vehicles intended for transporting patients and wounded persons while performing their duties.Military vehicles moving in convoys.Police vehicles when using warning sounds and lights.Vehicles that provide essential services and are determined by a resolution issued by the Minister of Interior.How to give wayLast year, a joint campaign ‘Don’t hesitate. Give way immediately.’ by Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority and Q Mobility, launched an awareness campaign, which identified six important guidelines that drivers must follow in order to safely give way to emergency vehicles:1. On main roads, where emergency vehicles use the left lane on main roads, drivers must yield to them by moving to the right lane as soon as they approach.2. Drivers must strictly refrain from using the hard shoulder, which is marked with a yellow line, as it is used by emergency vehicles.3. On internal roads, which do not have a hard shoulder, drivers must yield to emergency vehicles by moving right or left between vehicles.4. At road intersections, when cars on a road where the traffic light is green, they must stop completely and wait until emergency vehicles have passed. Emergency vehicles are permitted to cross a red traffic light. They generally stop briefly before proceeding cautiously.5. At roundabouts and squares, emergency vehicles enter cautiously and make their way through. Other motorists who see an emergency vehicle approaching must give way by not entering the roundabout and giving priority to these emergency vehicles. Cars that are already in the roundabout should continue moving forward and create space towards the right at the earliest opportunity.6. On two-way roads with one lane in each direction, emergency vehicles make their way between vehicles along the centre of the road. Vehicles travelling ahead of them should move as far to the right as possible without going onto the hard shoulder. Vehicles travelling in the opposite direction should also move as far to their right as possible to create space for the emergency vehicle.Fines for not giving wayIn 2019, the Ministry of Interior announced an increase on the fine for motorists who do not give way to emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, police cars and official convoy vehicles to AED 3,000. Offending vehicles may also face a 30-day impound, with six black points issued on the driver’s licence.The Ministry added that police authorities in the UAE conduct civil patrols to monitor violations against emergency and official vehicles, through smart systems, road-mounted cameras and patrol vehicles, to ensure public safety and to enable emergency vehicles to reach their desired locations as quickly as possible.
