Dubai Roads and Dubai Authority (RTA) and Dubai Police Headquarters) and Dubai) have reported record improvements in traffic flow and road safety following the increase in lorry movement restrictions on Emirates Road.
Effective January 1, 2025, the measures are designed to reduce peak hour congestion and improve safety levels on critical lines.
The results show a sharp reduction in incidents, high compliance among truck operators and a significant increase in average vehicle speed.
Dubai Traffic events fall
The RTA has confirmed that the reduced truck limit on Emirates Road – especially the section between Al Awirate Road and the Emirate of Sharjah during peak evening hours from 8pm – has brought measurable safety benefits.
The number of traffic incidents decreased to 37 cases in 2025, compared to 75 cases in 2024.
Compliance with truck movement hours has also increased:
- 7.7 Percent development on Emirates Road
- 5 percent development of sheikh mohammed bin zayed road
(June 2025 vs. November 2024)
The speed of a normal car increases by:
- 26 Kmph on Emirates Road
- 19 kmph on Sheikh Mohammed bin zayed Road
The RTA said the results show smoother traffic flow, reduced travel times and improved peak-time development.
97% decrease in permits issued during restricted hours
The RTA reported a 97 percent drop in the number of traffic permits issued during the restricted hours on all roads.
The authority said that the reduction shows a strict adherence to permit the process of permitting the routes and better distribution of truck movement on all other routes.
Hussein al Banna, RTA’s Chief Traffic and Roads Officer, said: “The implementation of the ban is part of a plan to reduce the cooling hour limit, improving traffic flow throughout Dubai’s road network.
“This decision was made in consultation with our strategic partners Dubai General Helfquervenity, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, DP World, and Dubai Airports,” it said.
Al Banna said the decision was based on engineering and technical studies covering:
- Vehicle durability
- Tracing Volumes
- Incident Statistics
- Patterns of urban development
- The power of alternative ways of doing things
He added that the RTA is working with the Dubai Police and other agencies to raise awareness among heavy vehicle drivers, install traffic signs and use multi-lingual campaigns across all media and social platforms.
Police restrictions in Dubai
Major General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, chief aide
He said the main objective is to reduce incidents from collisions between trucks and light vehicles while reducing congestion at important junctions.
He said: “The decision has contributed to improving road safety levels and reducing levels related to trucks during peak hours. When supporting traffic stability and supporting environmental sustainability by reducing fuel consumption and emissions,” he said.
Major General Al Mazrouei added that this step represents an effective step towards a safe and efficient traffic environment and this success depends on the joint commitment of truck drivers, companies and stakeholders.
