UAE Sets 9-Hour Driving Limit in 24 Hours Under New 2027 Traffic Regulations

Drivers in the UAE must not exceed nine hours of driving within any 24-hour period under new federal traffic regulations taking effect on January 1, 2027, according to Khaleej Times. The same provision prohibits motorists from operating a vehicle when fatigue or exhaustion compromises their ability to drive safely.

The requirement is established in Article 7, paragraph 2, of Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, which contains the executive regulation for Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 on traffic regulation. The article sets out general obligations for vehicle drivers rather than rules limited to truck drivers or professional motorists. The text also authorises the Federal Traffic Council to amend the driving-hours limit.

The source noted that the nine-hour ceiling does not override the separate ban on driving while dangerously tired; a motorist whose fatigue impairs safe driving must stop even if they have driven for fewer than nine hours. According to Ministry of Interior figures cited in the report, the UAE recorded 20 traffic accidents attributed to driver fatigue and drowsiness in 2025.

Dubai Police previously issued a warning on October 29 against driving while drowsy after a truck driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a metal barrier on Emirates Road (E611) towards Abu Dhabi, sustaining minor injuries. Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, urged motorists to get sufficient rest before driving and to pull over when feeling tired.