UAE to limit daily driving to nine hours from January 1 — The National
Rules prohibiting drivers in the UAE from spending more than nine hours behind the wheel per day are due to take effect on January 1. The new restrictions could significantly change the work of taxi drivers, couriers and truck drivers, for many of whom 12-hour shifts have remained customary, The National reports.
Safety and monitoring
Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of Road Safety UAE, called the new rules beneficial for drivers and other road users. In his view, tachographs — devices that record distance travelled, speed and driving time — will be crucial for enforcing them. Some freight carriers in Gulf countries have already voluntarily installed such devices to monitor their fleets.
Joseph Salem, head of the travel, transport and hospitality practice at consulting firm Arthur D Little in Dubai, believes the restriction will improve safety, as fatigue impairs reaction speed. According to him, the greatest effect is possible for heavy-duty transport. In 2022, the UAE recorded 208 accidents involving heavy vehicles, 271 in 2023, 332 in 2024, and 325 in 2025.
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Salem also noted that digital technologies could help monitor compliance with the new limit. At the same time, he stressed the need to avoid loopholes that would allow drivers to circumvent the requirements by switching between different electronic applications. In his opinion, responsibility for complying with the restrictions should be borne not only by drivers themselves but also by employers.
Impact on drivers’ income
The expert warned that the new requirements could reduce the earnings of drivers who receive commission-based pay and earn more during longer shifts. This could also affect the business plans and profitability of transport companies whose vehicles currently operate on a 12-hour schedule. He believes companies will have to revise pay models or offer drivers other compensation.
Iuliana Hartescu, a senior lecturer in psychology at Loughborough University who researches driver fatigue, supported the restriction. She pointed out that driving is a monotonous, repetitive and sedentary activity that makes it difficult to maintain attention. The researcher also linked sufficient breaks between driving periods to the possibility of proper sleep, recovery and time with family.
