Motorist in Dubai fined Dh10,000 for assaulting driver in road rage incident

Serbian driver punched fellow motorist at traffic lights after tailgating victim

The motorist denied punching the other driver but was found guilty at Dubai Criminal Court.

A motorist in Dubai has been fined Dh10,000 ($2,720) at Dubai Criminal Court for punching another driver in a road rage incident.

The Serbian driver, 39, was driving in the outside left lane on Al Khail Road, towards Festival City, when the victim, an Arab motorist, drove up behind and flashed his lights so that he could get past, the court heard.

But the accused refused to change lanes and the other driver moved to the lane to the right and accelerated to pass. The Serbian driver then tried to swerve in front of him.

“It was about 3:21pm and I was driving at speed of 119 kilometres an hour. There was a vehicle in front of me on the left lane and I tried to warn the driver by flashing the lights, but he didn’t pay any attention,” the victim said in the official record.

“I was in a hurry and changed the lane to the right but the driver of the vehicle tried to swerve in front of me.”

The Serbian driver then followed the victim until they stopped at traffic lights in Festival City.

Then the accused stepped out of his car and walked over to the victim's vehicle.

When the victim opened the driver's window, the accused punched him in the face and then left the scene, the court heard.

The victim went to the hospital to get a report on his injuries before making a complaint at Al Rashidiya police station.

Dubai prosecutors charged the accused with physical assault.

He admitted punching the victim when first spoken to by police but later denied it in court.

The court ordered him to pay a fine of Dh10,000.