UAE Enforces 9-Hour Driving Limit for Motorists Starting January 1

Beginning January 1 of next year, motorists in the UAE will be subject to new traffic regulations that limit driving to a maximum of nine hours within any 24-hour period. Additionally, drivers will be prohibited from operating a vehicle if they are experiencing fatigue that could compromise safe driving. These restrictions are part of cabinet decision no 174 of 2026, which also empowers the Federal Traffic Council to adjust the driving-hours limit.

Traffic safety expert Mustafa Aldah commented to The National, viewing these regulations as a significant step towards enhanced sector-specific economic oversight. He noted that while the expansion of rail services is reducing reliance on road freight, these new rules could contribute to a decrease in fatal accidents involving lorries and buses. The article also mentions separate new traffic rules that cap car ownership and establish a minimum age of 15 for e-scooter use.

Aldah expressed hope that this marks the beginning of a distinction between professional and personal driving, emphasizing a need for a clear chain of responsibility extending from the driver to company executives. "If a driver unsafe actions or is given unsafe vehicles or tools to do the job, it needs to go up the chain. Only when executives and owners become personally responsible will things change," he stated. He drew parallels with countries like the UK and Australia, which implement stringent time allowances and rest periods for heavy vehicle drivers.

The regulations aim to bolster road safety across the UAE. Drivers of heavy vehicles are monitored via installed tachographs, with tampering carrying severe consequences. Police can also conduct checks at any time, and combined with speed limiters on heavy vehicles, these measures are intended to keep heavy vehicle crashes minimal and manageable.

The National has sought clarification on whether the UAE's driving time limit applies uniformly to individual motorists, as well as to taxi, bus, lorry drivers, and delivery riders. The regulations also strictly prohibit driving under the influence of drugs, psychotropic substances, alcohol, or similar intoxicants. Furthermore, they reinforce the importance of adjusting speed based on prevailing road and weather conditions.

Motorists are required to adhere to posted speed limits, with specific exceptions for emergency vehicles responding to urgent calls and drivers transporting individuals in critical medical conditions, provided safety conditions are met. The law mandates that drivers must not endanger others and must utilize necessary warning lights and signals. Speed monitoring should also consider traffic, visibility, and the vehicle's condition and load.

The new law also introduces updated driving licence validity periods contingent on age and nationality. For UAE and GCC nationals, licences will be valid for 10 years upon renewal after reaching 21 years of age or for those first licensed at 21 or older. Expatriate residents will have licences valid for five years under similar conditions. The regulations also specify eyesight standards for various driver categories, with more stringent requirements for bus drivers and heavy machinery operators. Licensing authorities may accept eyesight examination reports from outside the UAE for drivers with expired licences seeking renewal.