The Dubai Police will set up ‘silent radars’ across residential neighbourhoods, Khaleej Times can reveal. These devices are called ‘silent’ because they don’t flash like traditional radars do.
These aim to detect more than just speeding violations, in order to encourage drivers to maintain proper safety practices like wearing seatbelts and refraining from using mobile phones, a top official said.
Some residents use mobile phones or don’t buckle up while driving within their communities for a quick grocery run. However, the traffic law applies even if one is driving within residential neighbourhoods. Failure to fasten your seatbelt can lead to a fine of Dh400 and 4 black points, while using a hand-held phone while driving can result in a fine of Dh800 and 4 black points.
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It was not immediately clear when the silent radars would be set up.
The authority stated that behavioural fines are always double-checked before they are issued.
Salma Mohammed Rashed Almarri, head of Traffic Awareness section, said: “The Dubai Police officers always double check the fines taken by video footage before releasing it, especially in behavioural violations like holding phones and fastening seatbelts.”
More than just speeding
Hassan Ali Taleb Alhamer from the Traffic Technology Department explained that there are different kinds of radars in Dubai. “Many people think they only detect speeding, however, they also catch illegal U-turns and other traffic violations.”
According to the Dubai Police officer, the Emirates’ roads feature a range of “advanced traffic control technologies”. They detect mobile phone usage while driving and seat belt violations, among others.
The radars installed on Dubai roads are capable of monitoring six main lanes on a highway, in addition to two side lanes. They can read licence plates and identify if they are obscured or hidden in any way.
These hi-tech devices can detect speeding and other violations even if a vehicle is partially obscured by another.
Officer Salma stressed that motorists in Dubai have to stop completely at pedestrian intersections. They have to wait until the pedestrian has completely crossed. Failure to do so is punishable by a Dh500 fine.
Control centre
Dubai’s roads are monitored not only by these advanced radars, but also by huge screens inside the Dubai Police Command Control Centre. As Major Mohammed Shahriyar Alblooshi, assistant director of the Command Control Centre, explained: “From the Dubai Police Command Centre, we can check by cameras if there’s any traffic on the road and if anything is causing traffic, if any driver needs help, we send a police patrol directly and oversee and assess the situation from the command centre.”
Captain Majid Al Qassim, head of specialised operations, added: “We monitor all the roads from this room,” as the screen showed two RTA buses obstructing the road and from the command centre screen, the police patrol was seen reaching the scene, guiding other motorists to change lanes and helping the bus commuters to change to another bus. “We have multiple assets distributed around Dubai, such as ambulances and patrols ready to be dispatched in cases of any emergency,” he said.
Moreover, the Dubai Police Awareness Department has been actively educating drivers about the importance of maintaining a safe following distance, with fines of up to Dh400 being issued for this violation.
The authority has stressed that the goal of these advanced systems is not just about issuing fines, but rather keeping roads safe for all.
The police acknowledged that many drivers are aware of the location of these radars and tend to slow down accordingly. However, the authority’s primary concern is maintaining a consistent and safe driving speed, rather than catching drivers in the act of speeding.