Dubai is mostly known for its big buildings and magnificent nightlife but your enjoyment can be turned into a horrible experience. Now you might be thinking, what are we talking about? Let me explain, imagine you are visiting the UAE with your friends and your plans involve enjoying the nightlife, events, music concerts, bars, and clubs. You have enjoyed dancing in bars a lot and drinking alcohol without any restrictions. Now while going back to your hotel, the police have stopped you and are telling that you are being charged due to breaking the driving rules of Dubai.
Now in your mind, you are thinking that you haven’t broken any rule but when they run a test of your body on their computer, they tell you that the alcohol limit in your body is above the legal limit. Now you will be fined because driving under the influence of alcohol is punishable by UAE and is also extremely dangerous for you and the other people on the road. So, if you or any of your family members is about to visit UAE, this can happen you to. So, read this article till the end and you will get to know a lot of new things to face such kind of situations in the best manner. So, without wasting any time, let’s start the blog to learn more about drinking and driving punishments in Dubai.
What Does Drink and Driving Mean?
Drink and driving means if the person is caught driving under the influence of alcohol. The alcohol limit in the blood should be less than the legal limit, if it’s above, the person can fined, penalized, or jailed as per law. In some countries, even if the car is parked and you have keys in your hand under the influence of alcohol, you can be fined because the car is in your control.
Jail and Deport Situation – Things You Need to Take Care of
If you are caught drinking and driving, there are huge chances that the government of Dubai will put you in jail or deport you. The United Arab Emirates is one of the countries that have made the strictest rules for those who drink and drive at the same time. You may face both situations. First, they will put you in jail for a specific time and once the time is completed, they will deport you to your country and will put some negative points on your passport as well.
If the alcohol level in your blood is 0.04 or higher, then the law enforcement units can put all the charges on you regarding drinking and driving. The fine for this breach is between Dh10,000 to Dh20,000 and the jail time of up to 6 months. Moreover, your vehicle can also be detained for 3 months without any refund.
Additionally, if you have been caught drinking and the alcohol level is too high, you can be fined, jailed, and deported for just one violation. So, always make sure to have someone by your side, you can take care of the driving thing when you are under the influence of alcohol for the sake of saving yourself from such punishments.
Drunk and Driving Punishments and Penalties in Dubai
- A fine of up to AED 40,000-50,000 can be imposed after being caught drunk and driving in the UAE.
- You may face jail time of up to 6 months on the orders of Dubai’s court.
- If you have a corporate driver’s license, it can be revoked and you have to wait at least 3 years to get a new one after facing jail.
- If you hold the license that is allowed in the UAE as well, the punishment will not affect your license in other countries and you can drive outside the UAE without any issue.
Breath Test
Law enforcement units and the police contain the devices with which they can conduct a breath test on the spot to see if the BAC in your body is ok or not. The allowed limit of the blog alcohol content is lower than 0.04. If the alcohol level in your blood is 0.04 or higher, then you are in huge trouble. Police ask you to breathe in the device and then the device measures the amount of alcohol in your blood. One thing that you should always keep in mind is that the BAC in the men’s body is always higher than the women’s.
Jail Time Situation
When being caught drunk and driving, the jail time depends on how highly you are drunk and if you have caused any damage to property or not. The jail time is between 3 to 6 months. But, if the alcohol limit in your body is less than 0.50, you can avoid going to jail by just paying the fines. But, if the BAC is higher than 0.50, you may have to face jail for 3 months, and if you have caused some damage, then the jail time will extend to 6 months and you have to pay the fines as well.
Penalties for the Repeat Offenders
Punishments and penalties for repeat offenders are very harsh and strict in the UAE because you are putting your and others’ lives in danger on the road. If you are living in or visiting Dubai and have been fined for a case of drinking and driving already, you should be very careful because the time frame of your imprisonment can extend to 2 years. Just imagine paying thousands of Dirhams and spending 2 years in jail. It can change your whole life. So always pay huge attention to these offences and try to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol at all costs.
Best Solution to This Problem
We know you want to enjoy the fabulous Dubai nights and want to drink without any restrictions, but you also need to come to your room once the party is over. So, the best solution to this problem is hiring a professional chauffeur who can take you to your home safely once the party is over.
At Foremost Drive, we have well-trained and expert chauffeurs who can wait in the parking area with your car for you to come after enjoying the party in the best manner. So in this way, you will be able to enjoy the alcohol without putting yourself in danger. Contact us now and get highly skilled and trained chauffeurs for yourself without breaking the bank.
