Dubai Police's Traffic Department was established in 1958 with a small office in Naif Police Station.
Its responsibilities were limited to issuing driving licences followed by registering vehicles.
As the tasks of the office grew, it began operations from the building next to Al Muraqabat Police Station.
In 1986 it was renamed Dubai Traffic Department.
In 1987 the department moved to its current location, which was inaugurated by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It was renamed Dubai Police's Traffic Department.
On November 1, 2005, Shaikh Mohammad ordered the establishment of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and, according to that order, many sections of the traffic department, such as traffic engineering, traffic safety, vehicle registration and the number plate factory, moved to the RTA.
Five new sections have been added to the traffic department: Administrative Affairs, Traffic Control, Analysis of Road Accidents, Activities and Traffic Movement.
Easing traffic, punishing traffic rule violators and stopping reckless driving are currently the main tasks of Dubai Police's Traffic Department.
The campaign
Caltex RoadStar Campaign is Dubai's biggest road safety campaign. Organised by the Emirates Motor Sports Federation (EMSF), along with Dubai Police, and with support from local media partners, Radio 2 and Gulf News, the official newspaper, the Caltex RoadStar team patrols the streets of Dubai during rush hours of morning and evening to spot safe drivers.
In deciding the winners, the police check for drivers who observe speed limits and lane discipline, wear seat belts, use hands-free mobile phones and child safety seats.
Road manners and courtesy are the preferred qualities on the checklist.
Once marked, the driver is stopped and immediately presented with a cash reward of Dh750 and a RoadStar certificate.
Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafien, Director of General Traffic Department of Dubai Police, praised the campaign.
"This is a great job. What is being done is adding to our efforts of educating motorists about traffic safety."
Roshanara Sait, PR and Marketing Manager of the Emirates Motor Sports Federation (EMSF), says, "The road safety message is spreading fast and the campaign has proved that such awareness drives are necessary to remind Dubai's drivers of the traffic rules and regulations."
The five-day campaign offers certificates endorsed by Dubai Police and a total of Dh60,000 as cash rewards to motorists who buckle up and drive safely.
Caltex RoadStar, which started in 1998, is held twice a year.
The campaign aims at encouraging and educating people to obey traffic rules and drive safely in a city where accidents are on the rise.
Brigadier Essa Obaid Aman, Deputy Director of Dubai Police's Traffic Department, says, "There are motorists who do not understand the importance of safe driving. Without everyone's efforts, we cannot succeed in spreading awareness among motorists."
"As the sole sanctioning body for motor sport in the UAE we have an added responsibility of creating and spreading awareness on road safety," says Sait.
"This is the only campaign in the region that focuses on rewarding drivers rather than fining them. This positive approach and added cash incentive definitely passes the right message," she says.
