UAE's New 2027 Traffic Rules Set 9-Hour Driving Limit In 24 Hours To Prevent Fatigue

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

The requirement appears in Article 7, paragraph 2, of Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, which contains the executive regulation of Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 on traffic regulation.

The article sets out general obligations for vehicle drivers, rather than a requirement limited to truck drivers or other professional motorists. It also allows the Federal Traffic Council to amend the driving-hours limit.

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The nine-hour ceiling does not override the separate prohibition on driving while dangerously tired. A motorist whose fatigue affects safe driving must not continue, even if they have driven for fewer than nine hours.

The UAE recorded 20 traffic accidents attributed to driver fatigue and drowsiness in 2025, according to Ministry of Interior figures.

Dubai Police issued a warning on October 29 against driving while tired or drowsy after a truck driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a metal safety barrier on Emirates Road, E611, towards Abu Dhabi.

Police said the driver became drowsy, lost control and veered off course. He suffered minor injuries and received treatment at the scene.

Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, urged motorists to get sufficient rest before driving and stop when they feel tired or drowsy.

According to RoadSafetyUAE, fatigue is particularly dangerous because it can reduce a driver's ability to judge their own tiredness. The road-safety organisation identifies poor-quality sleep and lengthy periods of driving among the main causes.

RoadSafetyUAE lists repeated yawning, sore eyes, delayed reactions and difficulty keeping the head upright as warning signs. Drifting between lanes, changes in driving speed and difficulty remembering the last few kilometres can also indicate fatigue, it says.

The organisation recommends seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep before a journey and regular 15-minute breaks at least every two hours.

Motorists who feel tired should pull over safely and rest, RoadSafetyUAE advises. It warns that music or fresh air offers only a short-term benefit in maintaining alertness and says sleep is the only cure for fatigue.

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