Transport chiefs in Dubai joined forces with police to launch a safety campaign aimed at cracking down on reckless driving in the emirate and reducing accident rates.
Motorists are being urged not to tailgate, to use their indicators whenever required and to only use the left lanes for overtaking on motorways.
The two-month initiative – Give Way in the Fast Lane – was recently introduced by Dubai Police, in partnership with the Roads and Transport Authority and Dubai Media Incorporated, the official media arm of the government.
Police said drivers in the outside lane should move back to a central lane at the earliest and safest opportunity after overtaking, to avoid collisions.
Only emergency vehicles should drive in the outside lane for any length of time.
Lt Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, stressed the importance of making the emirate's roads safer for all.
"The campaign aims at reaching the highest level of traffic safety by controlling road safety and security, reducing accidents and preventing aggressive driving," he said.
Mattar Al Tayer, head of the RTA, said the authority had carried out extensive studies of overtaking lane and speed regulations in the US, Australia and Germany.
"The campaign is one of many joint events that the RTA and Dubai Police have conducted to achieve the strategic objective of maintaining traffic safety across Dubai," he said.
Drivers who fail to give way when appropriate face a fine of Dh400 ($108) and four black points on their licence.
Road users who do not maintain a safe distance are also liable for a Dh400 penalty.
Last year, police in Abu Dhabi took steps to address tailgating and drivers hogging the fast lane of highways.
Traffic cameras in the emirate are equipped with monitoring technology that can detect if both vehicles – the one in front and the other that's tailgating – fail to maintain a safe distance. Fines can be issued to both drivers.
The traffic cameras were introduced in the capital in January 2020.
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