New federal traffic law to come into force from March 29

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced that the Federal Decree-Law No. (14) of 2024 on the regulation of traffic will take effect on 29 March, as it contains fundamental amendments aimed at improving road safety, regulating vehicle movements and ensuring compliance with safe driving standards.

Brigadier Hussein Ahmed Al Harthi, Chairman of the Federal Traffic Council at the Ministry of Interior, said that the new law aims to enhance road safety and aligns with technological developments in the fields of traffic, vehicles and roads.

The executive regulations will be issued within six months of the law's entry into force, and will include many detailed articles to ensure the best application of the law's provisions.

Brigadier Ahmed Saeed Mohammed Al Summ Al Naqbi, Head of the Traffic Awareness Team at the Federal Traffic Council, explained that the law includes the main points that will be addressed in the executive regulations.

These include classification of vehicles and passenger transport according to specific criteria to ensure their compliance with the required technical specifications, and regulation of driving licences in terms of types, duration, eligible age groups and the procedures required to obtain them.

They further include the conditions for issuing driving licences and the mechanism for their delivery according to criteria approved by the licensing authority.

This is in addition to the determination of insurance controls for vehicles, whether registered in the country or arriving or transiting through it, to ensure the provision of minimum compulsory vehicle insurance, as well as vehicle inspection and licensing procedures, including re-registration, and to ensure technical and environmental safety.

Driver's licence

Al Naqbi said that Article 12 of the law specifies the conditions in which a driver's licence can be suspended or revoked in case of health incapacity or for any reason related to road safety and security, which aims to reduce road hazards and ensure that drivers are able to control vehicles safely.

Article 27 stipulates that the licensing authorities can call any time for any vehicle to be re-tested to ensure its safety and that of other road users. If it is found to be unfit, the owner will be informed of the necessary repairs and the vehicle will be banned from use until it passes the technical test.

Regarding the modification of vehicles, Brigadier Ahmed Saeed Mohammed Al Summ Al Naqbi explained that Article 26 of the law stipulates that no substantial modification may be made to a vehicle, such as changing the structure, enhancing the engine power or colour, without obtaining official approval from the licensing authority and completing the necessary procedures to ensure compliance with the approved technical standards.

Impounding a vehicle

Al Naqbi pointed out that the new law specifies a number of terms for impounding a vehicle, including driving a vehicle that is unfit for use or does not meet the technical requirements, driving without a licence for the second time, driving a vehicle without a licence, making modifications to the vehicle without prior permission, or if it is related to an accident involving a crime that requires impoundment, or other cases specified in the regulations after their issuance, according to Al Naqbi.

With regard to Article 10 of the Decree, he explained that it sets out conditions for issuing a driving licence, namely that the natural person has reached the age of 17 years, has successfully passed the medical examination required by the licensing authority or has submitted a certified report as specified in implementing the regulations of this Decree-Law.

It is expected that these regulations, which will be issued within the announced timeframe, will clarify all issues and requirements related to this Article, including the determination of the type of licences to be issued to this age group and the mechanism for issuing licences to them.