Guide · updated 31.07.2026 · 13 min read · Lucent Legal team

You Just Had a Car Accident in Dubai: What to Do, Step by Step

The first seconds after a collision are the most stressful: you don't know whether you're allowed to move the car off the road, whether you really have to call the police over a scratched bumper, or what to say to the other driver. Dubai's procedure is surprisingly formal, and much of it has moved into an app — but that's exactly why getting the order of steps right matters. One mistake, like moving a car when someone is injured, or repairing a car without a police report, can cost you your insurance payout or turn into its own separate problem. Here's the process step by step: from the first minutes at the scene to insurance, and, for serious crashes, the criminal side.

Move the car or leave it: the first call you have to make

The first thing to figure out in those first few seconds is how serious the accident is, because everything else depends on it.

• Minor accident (nobody hurt, cosmetic damage only, both cars still drivable) — sources recommend moving the cars to the shoulder or out of the way so you're not blocking traffic, then handling the paperwork.
• Accident with injuries or serious damage — leave the cars exactly where they are until police arrive, and don't touch or move anything: the scene itself is evidence for whatever comes next.
• Either way — turn on your hazard lights, put out a warning triangle if you have one, and photograph the scene from every angle before anything gets moved.

If you're not sure which category applies, it's safer by default to treat it as a serious accident and wait for the police than to decide on your own that "the car still drives, so I'll just move it" and be wrong.

Why police are mandatory even for a scratch

This closes off the main temptation: "let's just agree between ourselves and drive off." In Dubai that creates real problems rather than saving time.

• Repairing a car without an official police/accident report is described in sources as outright illegal, regardless of who's paying for it.
• Insurance won't cover repair costs without a police report — meaning a quiet cash arrangement effectively cuts you off from your own coverage for that accident.
• The other driver needs the report too — without it, there's no way to confirm fault or file a claim against the at-fault driver's insurer.

In other words, even for a purely cosmetic scratch, the real choice isn't "police or no police" — it's "police at the scene or police through the app." There's no way around some form of official reporting if you want the repair to be legal and the insurance claim to hold up.

How to report an accident: the app, ENOC, or a call

Remote reporting is built specifically for minor accidents with no injuries — it's not a special favor, it's Dubai Police's standard channel for these cases.

1. Open the Dubai Police app and select the Minor Traffic Accident Report service.
2. Fill in the form — details for both cars, both drivers, and both insurance policies.
3. Attach photos of the damage and the overall scene.
4. Submit and wait for the report — sources say processing is usually quick, and you can track the report afterward using the transaction number.

An alternative channel for minor accidents is reporting at select ENOC stations (sources mention locations on Al Rasheed Street, Al Khail Road, and in Arabian Ranches, among others), where you can get a report without visiting a police station.

If the accident is serious — there are injuries, a dispute over fault, major damage, or the other driver refuses to wait or cooperate — call 999 (emergency), and call for an ambulance separately if anyone is hurt. How the non-urgent 901 line works, and how filing a police report in Dubai works in general, is covered in our guide How to File a Police Report in Dubai — the same logic applies to accidents that go beyond the minor category.

Pink, green, and white forms: who's at fault

The end result of the reporting process isn't just paperwork — it's a document with a specific finding on fault, which determines who claims from whom afterward.

Worth being honest here: sources don't fully agree on the exact color coding — some describe this pink/green/white pairing tied to fault, others use different labels for similar categories. The underlying split — at fault / not at fault / undetermined — is confirmed independently, but the precise color name is worth double-checking with the officer handling your report or directly on the report you're issued.

What to say at the scene and afterward

What you say at the scene of an accident matters — it's effectively part of the record, not casual conversation.

• Stick to facts: what you saw, where you were headed, what happened — no emotional judgments and no accusations directed at the other driver out loud.
• Don't admit fault at the scene, and don't sign any documents in Arabic that you don't understand — the same principle that applies in more serious situations, covered in our guide Arrested in the UAE: What to Do in the First 48 Hours.
• Collect the other driver's details: plate number, name, phone number, insurance company, and policy number — useful whether you're reporting through the app or waiting for a patrol car.
• Photograph more than just the damage — get the overall picture too: where the cars ended up, road signs, skid marks — in case there's a dispute later about what actually happened.

Insurance: deadlines, documents, excess

The accident report is your ticket to an insurance payout, but filing with the insurer itself is a separate step with its own requirements.

• Sources say insurers, in the overwhelming majority of cases, require an official police report to confirm the accident happened at all, along with fault and circumstances — without it, claims are typically denied.
• Notify your insurer or broker as soon as possible — the exact deadline varies by source: some just say "immediately" with no fixed number, others cite roughly 7 days. Check your own policy's terms rather than assuming another case applies to you.
• Standard document set: the accident report, copies of your Emirates ID and driving license, the vehicle registration card (Mulkiya), the insurance policy, damage photos, and a garage estimate if needed.
• If you're found at fault, expect to pay an excess — one source puts it roughly in the AED 500–1,500 range, but the exact figure is set by your individual policy, not a fixed government rate.
• The accident report is valid for a limited time — sources say around three months from issue date — so try to complete repairs and insurance settlement within that window, or you'll need to have it reissued.

Rented cars and accidents

If the accident happened in a rental car, the process at the scene is identical: police are still mandatory, and repairing without a report is just as illegal as with your own car.

From there, it's the rental agreement rather than the law that takes over: as a general practice among Dubai rental companies, the accident report goes to the rental company, which usually deals with the insurer directly. How much ends up being charged to the renter's deposit or card typically depends on who's found at fault in the report and on the specific rental contract's terms (excess, coverage, driver restrictions) — check your own contract rather than assuming another renter's experience applies, since there's no single government-set rate here. If you end up in a dispute with a rental company over accident charges, common conflicts are covered in our guide Car Rental Disputes in Dubai.

Accidents with injuries: the criminal side, briefly

If there are injuries, and especially a death, the situation moves past insurance settlement and into criminal territory — and this is where being honest about the figures really matters.

• The case is usually referred to the Public Prosecution rather than staying purely administrative — the procedural track after that resembles any other UAE criminal case, covered in detail in our guide Arrested in the UAE: What to Do in the First 48 Hours.
• For a death caused by the accident, legal sources say the concept of diya ("blood money") can apply — with a minimum cited around AED 200,000 — but that's a general-practice benchmark, not a fixed rate specifically for traffic accidents: courts weigh the circumstances and degree of fault, and can award additional civil compensation on top of that figure.
• Fleeing the scene (hit and run) is treated as a separate aggravating factor — sources cite a fine around AED 25,000 and possible arrest, regardless of who's ultimately found at fault for the accident itself.
• Whether a case ends up administrative, criminal, or both depends on the specific circumstances and which article it's charged under — in cases involving injuries, this is exactly when to bring in a lawyer from day one rather than try to work it out by analogy.

This material is for information only and is not legal advice. UAE law changes — a lawyer will assess how it applies to your situation.