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7 tips on how to drive safely in Dubai

A Food Fun Travel Guest Post

The Greatest. The Highest. The Biggest. Dubai is a city of extremes that stands out by its supermodern architecture in a historically conservative country. Skyscrapers, palm islands, and sunny beaches, combined with energetic nightlife, luxury shops, and terrific restaurants, turn the city into a spectacle worth admiring and visiting. A lot of people come to Dubai every year to see all of this progress and luxury.

Book a car

To feel comfortable in this city, we recommend you rent a car. Dubai is known for the large number of luxury cars that you can rent easily. It’s enough to have a cell phone with an internet connection and a few hundred dollars. Believe me, Lamborghini car rental Dubai will surprise you with a wide choice of sports car models and lower prices than in other countries. Moreover, rental providers here offer the best possible customer service. Fill up a full tank of affordable gasoline and go about your business!

Use a navigator

The roads in Dubai are in perfect condition, so it is a pleasure to drive on them. But only if you know where to turn. Tourists are often lost at multiple interchanges. So it would be a good idea to buy a local SIM card to use the GPS. For example, you can download Syrgic, Maps.Me or Smart Drive. They’ll help you get to your destination, and the local app Smart Drive will even warn you about speeding.

Do not exceed the speed

There are thousands of traffic cameras in Dubai. Within a city, the speed must not exceed 60 km/h. The excess speed would cost UAE 2,000 dirhams ($546). The vehicle could be confiscated for 30 days. On motorways, you are allowed to develop speeds up to 100 km/h. It is also prohibited to use a mobile phone while driving, to smoke, to wear makeup, to eat, or to drink – it’s a fine of $54 to $218.

Pay attention to electronic boards

Special scoreboards on the main and some secondary roads inform drivers of the current situation on the roads. They help to adjust the route quickly.

Be ready for toll roads

Dubai has several toll roads. They are called «Salik». No cash payment is provided. All rental cars are equipped with a transponder, and payment is automatically written off from the account. You will be charged when the car is returned. If you don’t want to pay, you can use the free roads. But be ready to drive longer and there may be traffic jams. By the way, many navigators support the function of «avoid toll roads».

Don’t worry about gasoline

All gas stations have good quality and cheap gasoline. You can stay in a car, a gas worker will pour the gas and pay for it. Many service stations have fast food and automatic washing.

Get ready to pay for parking

Almost all parking spaces are paid. On ordinary city parking lots, you can pay through a pay-as-you-go or an app. The cost is 2 to 4 dirhams per hour. A fine for free parking from 100 dirhams.

Payment is accepted with both coins and NOL cards. If you have a local number, you can send SMS, detailed instructions are on the parks. If you paid with cash or an NOL card, the parking lot will give you a receipt. It should be placed on the windshield panel so that it can be seen outside the vehicle.

Parking is divided into categories A, B, C, D, etc. Popular bars or restaurants usually have Valet parking. This means that parking is free. In shopping malls, parking is also free, but there are can be time limits. It is always written on the sign at the entrance.

And last, but not least. The police almost never stop cars. Even if you’ve been in an accident, you don’t have to call the police. This rule works if only two cars are affected and people are safe. In that case, the problem can be solved with the application. All you have to do is photograph the locations of the hits with an app and send them to the police.

Happy traveling!