What this checklist covers
The ESMA Vehicle Safety Systems Checklist is a 15-point scorecard for safety components, vehicle accessories, approved products, installation quality, and UAE technical regulation compliance. Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on what the auditor sees on the day, and every gap goes into an action plan with an owner and a close date.
AutoSmart tip: Vehicle safety system compliance in the UAE extends to accessories and aftermarket fitments installed by the dealership — not only to the original vehicle configuration. A dealership that installs non-compliant window tinting, unapproved lighting, or structural modifications assumes compliance liability for that modification regardless of whether it was customer-requested.
The checks
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Safety components and approved products
- Are all safety-related components installed on vehicles (braking systems, seatbelts, airbags, child restraint anchors, ABS, ESC) compliant with applicable UAE technical regulations?
- Is documentation confirming safety system compliance (CoC, test report, or OEM declaration) available for each vehicle model?
- Are replacement safety components (brake pads, seatbelt assemblies, airbag modules) sourced from UAE-approved suppliers or OEM- authorised sources?
- Are aftermarket safety system modifications (brake upgrades, suspension changes, lighting modifications) verified for UAE technical regulation compliance before being offered or installed?
Vehicle accessories compliance
- Are all vehicle accessories sold or installed by the dealership (tow bars, roof racks, bull bars, window tinting) verified as compliant with UAE regulations before being offered?
- Is window tinting installed on vehicles compliant with UAE visible light transmission (VLT) requirements, with no tinting installed that violates permitted limits?
- Are lighting modifications (LED upgrades, additional driving lights, light bars) verified against UAE road traffic law and vehicle lighting standards before installation?
- Is there a documented process for refusing installation of accessories that do not meet UAE compliance requirements, even if requested by the customer?
Installation quality
- Are safety component and accessory installations performed by trained technicians, with installation quality verified before vehicle release?
- Is a post-installation check conducted for all safety-related fitments, confirming correct function and no interference with other vehicle systems?
- Are installation records retained for all safety component replacements and accessory fitments, traceable to the vehicle and the technician who performed the work?
Documentation and compliance governance
- Is compliance documentation for safety systems and accessories organised by vehicle or product category, retrievable for any unit if requested during inspection?
- Are staff responsible for accessory and safety component sales trained on UAE compliance requirements, with training updated when regulations change?
- Is there a clear process for handling customer requests for non-compliant modifications — declining the work, explaining the reason, and documenting the refusal?
- Is safety system compliance reviewed as part of the dealership's regular compliance audit cycle, not only reactively after a regulatory query?
How to run it
How the scoring works
Before the visit, fill in the dealer or centre, the auditor, the date and the audit cycle. Then score each of the 15 checks from 1 to 5 on what you see on the day, not on what the site aims for, and add them up out of 75.
- 1Not in place
- 2Attempted
- 3Defined
- 4Managed
- 5Fully sustained
- Green60–75 · 80–100%Compliant. Keep the standard.
- Amber38–59 · 50–79%Improvement needed: a structured action plan within 30 days.
- Red0–37 · Below 50%Priority intervention, escalated to regional management.
Then close every gap
Each gap goes into the action plan tracker and moves through four stages until the auditor closes it.
- 1PendingOwner and close date set
- 2In progressWork under way, evidence gathered
- 3CompletedEvidence submitted for review
- 4ApprovedVerified and closed by the auditor
