Dubai Police issued 7,735 traffic fines and impounded 1,630 vehicles for excessive noise and unauthorised vehicle modifications in the nine months to September 2026, as the emirate’s crackdown on disruptive and unsafe driving behaviour continues.
The General Department of Traffic recorded 2,045 violations and 333 impoundments for excessive noise, and a further 5,690 violations and 1,297 impoundments for unauthorised modifications to engines or chassis.
Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, Director of the General Department of Traffic, said noise from modified engines and exhaust systems is a genuine public health concern, not just a nuisance. Loud vehicles can disturb communities, especially late at night, and negatively affect public health, he said, adding that sudden or unusually loud sounds can also distract drivers and increase accident risk.
Under UAE traffic regulations, driving a vehicle that produces excessive noise carries a fine of AED 2,000 and 12 black points. Unauthorised engine or chassis modifications attract a fine of AED 1,000, 12 black points and 30 days of impoundment. Additional measures may apply under Dubai Decree No. 30 of 2023, depending on the severity of the offence.
Dubai Police said they are preparing to expand the number of roadside noise-detection devices, with deployment planned across areas where violations are most frequent.
Brigadier bin Suwaidan said the technology will help identify offending vehicles and strengthen enforcement, framing the expansion as part of a broader push to use smart tools for road safety.
He credited a combination of tighter enforcement and growing public awareness with a recent decline in noise violations, and urged motorists, particularly younger drivers, to avoid illegal modifications and drive in ways that respect other road users and residents.
