What are speed grace margins for Dubai roads

Residents confused over supposed variations in place on different roads

Responding to residents’ confusion over speed limits and grace speed margins, Dubai Police has clarified that the grace speed limit is 20kmph on most roads in the emirate.

Most roads in the city of Dubai have a grace margin over an allowed speed limit for that road. This means that where the maximum speed on a road may be 100kmph, the radar will get you at just over 120kmph, for example.

Residents have been unsure about internal city roads such as Al Wasl Road or Beach Road where common understanding is that the grace speed limit is just 10kmph over and over the prescribed speed limit of 70kmph.

Elsewhere in the emirate, most roads such as Sheikh Zayed Road or Al Khail or Emirates Road allow for 20kmph over and above the notified speed limit.

“Because the maximum speed is the number appearing on the traffic boards along the road, the grace speed can only be found out through flirting with the speed radar. A little too much of advancement can easily result in a fine, at least,” says George KV.

“It’s good that the police has clarified the grace limit. I can now drive in a more relaxed manner and not have anxiety if I am over-speeding. Also, those who speed up between radars and slow down when one approaches, can now drive at a more regular pace,” he added.

S. Kumar, an Indian motorist tells that he always drives at a 70 kmph speed on Jumeirah Road, until his colleague told him that she passes the same road at a 90 kmph. “We had a discussion about the grace speed there. She told me that she had never been fined at that speed. But I was not sure enough to try the same.”

To make things more clear, the Traffic Department of Dubai Police clarified the speed limit and grace speed at  five major roads in Dubai; Sheikh Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah Road, and Al Khail Road, with two different speed limits existing on Sheikh Zayed Road.

In response to the announcement of Abu Dhabi traffic authorities that the grace speed will gradually be reduced to be zero by the start of 2013, Colonel Zaif Mohayer AlMazroi furthermore clarified that no such measure has been discussed for the emirate of Dubai.

 

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Comments

  • RAJU CK 2 May 2013 13:52 0 0
    to day iwill get dubai mall camera there speed limit 80 .. 90 flashed..
  • Qassop 28 February 2013 00:18 0 0
    I drive in al khail road 122km/h radar doesnt catch
  • Amit Pamnani 22 August 2012 15:00 0 0
    Graces are also a tool for the transportation authorities to change actual speeds without changing all the posted speed boards on the road since the road is usually designed for much higher speeds but might not be suitable for the drivers population once the road is in operation.
  • Amit Pamnani 22 August 2012 14:59 1 0
    @Claudia & Mon: I believe most Western countries have graces of say 10% of the posted speed limit so a 100 km/h road would have a grace of 10 km/h not 1 or 2 km/h which is less than wind speed on most occasions. Also, Dubai follows American transport guidelines more often due to the roads being relatively wider than European countries.  @nn: Somewhere around Dubai Marina though its not the same location on both sides (dxb-ad & ad-dxb)
  • nn 12 August 2012 06:55 0 0
    I wanna know...where exactly does this SZR 2 begin and end??
  • Mon 10 August 2012 14:25 8 2
    Why not just post the actual speed limit on the roads so that there'll be no confusion. Go above it and you're caught. MAYBE the simple mental addition on the drivers head of grace speed margins would lead to accident instead of avoiding it.
  • Alia AlKohaji 10 August 2012 11:17 7 1
    The grace is a must and I am so glad they announced it so that people won't drive at 40kmph on Jumeirah Road! However, I have to say that this grace MUST apply to removable/adjustable temporary radars added to the sides of the roads. not only to the radars fixed permanently on the roads.
  • Sabina Malik 9 August 2012 18:15 0 0
    There seems to be some confusion about Beach Road grace limit as I was fined for speeding Dh 600 when my car speed for below 90km/hour.
  • Mark 9 August 2012 12:02 1 4
    Remember 'speed kills'
  • uaereader 9 August 2012 11:53 31 17
    I don't like to say it but drivers from South India drives in a scared and subdued way, they drive slow in the fast lane and don't change the lane no matter how much dipper you give to them. Their slow driving is really irritating and they should be fined for driving slow in fsat lanes. I normaly don't go to top lane if I am not driving fast.
  • Dev 9 August 2012 11:44 2 22
    Grace limit of 20 KM/hr is too wide.
  • M. 9 August 2012 10:26 6 7
    @Moose: Very well said! Absolutely true. They can definitely take alternate routes with internal roads and have their driving speed desires fulfilled there, please stay off the highways.
  • Raimy Veeran 9 August 2012 10:25 5 2
    Different people may have different urgencies. People in UAE are going through pace lifestyle. People are always in a hurry to reach destination to earn for their family. So grace period is a must.
  • M. 9 August 2012 10:19 11 1
    @James,@Ray and @other similar people: Grace limit, is to help you of going slightly faster if you are in hurry, because if you drive 100KPH on HIGHWAYS, it's incredibly slow. Please keep in mind, accidents happen due to carelessness, not due to speeding. Grace is required-always!
  • Moose 9 August 2012 10:06 17 0
    @Ray and James: if you're not happy with grace margins on highways then I suggest you stick with internal city roads so they can meet your conveniences. Dubai is considered one of the busiest cities in the world and Sheikh Zayed Road is the busiest road in the city. Driving at 120kph is not considered speeding rather than just getting along with your journey quickly and safely. If people can't handle that, then I suggest Jumeirah beach road or Wasl road to entertain your driving atmosphere.
  • Moose 9 August 2012 10:02 6 1
    I'm glad this is clarified, hopefully we should be witnessing a decrease of motorists hogging left shoulders at speeds of 90-100 kph on 120kph highways
  • Claudia 9 August 2012 09:33 2 5
    Why not icnrease the speed limit and take out the 20km/h grace? It is just very confusing for everyone and we end up with people driving on one lane with 60 and other lane with 90 in the case of Al Wasl. Make the limit 80 or 90 and give a grace of only 1-2 as most western countries do.
  • Robb 9 August 2012 09:15 8 1
    @Ray, traffic doesn't work like that. At some points, it is required to increase speed for safety reasons, so avoid a dangerous lane change or situation. Why penalise someone for potentially avoiding an accident?
  • James S Donato 9 August 2012 08:23 5 36
    There should be NO grace margins at all!
  • Chakshay 9 August 2012 08:10 6 1
    Beach road, the article mentions, gives 10kmph grace. But the table mentions a grace of 20 kmph. Editor: The grace speed margins were supplied by Dubai Traffic Police.

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