UAE Sets 9 Hour Daily Driving Limit From January 1st 2027
The new federal rule also requires motorists to stop sooner if fatigue affects safe driving.
Drivers across the UAE will be limited to nine hours of driving within any 24-hour period from January 1st, 2027, under new federal traffic regulations. The requirement applies to all motorists rather than only truck or professional drivers.
The provision appears in Article 7, paragraph 2, of Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, which sets the executive regulations for Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 on traffic regulation. The Federal Traffic Council will also have the authority to amend the driving-hours limit when required.
The regulation separately prohibits motorists from continuing to drive when fatigue or exhaustion affects their ability to drive safely, even if they have driven for fewer than nine hours. Drivers will therefore need to observe both the daily limit and the requirement to stop whenever tiredness compromises safe driving.
Ministry of Interior figures recorded 20 traffic accidents linked to driver fatigue and drowsiness in 2025. Dubai Police also recently warned against drowsy driving after a truck driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a metal safety barrier on Emirates Road towards Abu Dhabi, sustaining minor injuries.
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