The key facts
- From January 1, drivers in the UAE are prohibited from driving for more than nine hours within 24 hours
- Driving while fatigued in a way that affects safety is banned
- The Federal Traffic Council will be able to adjust the driving hours limit
Driving hours limit and ban on driving while fatigued
From January 1 of next year, drivers in the UAE will not be allowed to spend more than nine hours behind the wheel within a 24-hour period. It will also be prohibited to operate a vehicle while fatigued or exhausted if this affects the ability to drive safely. These requirements are part of Cabinet Resolution No. 174 of 2026, which empowers the Federal Traffic Council to adjust the driving hours limit. The National reports this.
Experts on professional drivers and company responsibility
Road safety expert Mustafa Aldah, in a comment to The National, called the new measure 'a first step towards better regulation of this sector of the economy.' In his view, the rules could reduce the number of fatal crashes involving trucks and buses, especially given the launch of rail transport, which has reduced dependence on road freight. He also expressed hope that this marks the beginning of a distinction between driving for work and for personal purposes, and called for building a 'chain of responsibility' from the driver up to the owner or director of a company. The expert noted that the UK and Australia have strict rules on hours and rest for heavy vehicle drivers, with enforcement ensured by tachographs, interference with which carries serious consequences.
What else is changing: speed, licences and eyesight
In addition to the hours limit, the rules prohibit driving under the influence of narcotic or psychotropic substances, alcohol and similar intoxicants, and enshrine the need to match speed to road and weather conditions. Exceptions to the requirement to observe speed limits are provided for emergency services and drivers transporting an injured person or someone in critical condition — provided safety conditions are met and warning signals are used. Traffic, visibility, and the condition and load of the vehicle must also be taken into account. Separately, validity periods for driving licences are introduced depending on age and citizenship: after the age of 21 or upon renewal, a licence for citizens of the UAE and GCC countries is valid for 10 years, and for expatriate residents for five years. Eyesight standards are set for different categories of drivers, with stricter requirements applying to bus drivers and machinery operators; licensing authorities will be able to accept eyesight test reports issued outside the UAE. The National's editorial team has asked for clarification on whether the driving time limit applies to private motorists in the same way as to taxi drivers, bus and truck drivers and couriers.
