Abu Dhabi on Monday scrapped the 120kph minimum speed limit in place for two years on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Road, a key motorway linking the capital and Dubai.
Abu Dhabi Mobility – the emirate's transport authority – said the step was to boost traffic safety and support the movement of heavy vehicles on the E311 route.
The minimum speed limit applied to drivers travelling in the first and second lanes from the left and came into effect in April 2023, with a fine of Dh400 ($108) applied from the following month for those flouting the law.
The third lane and the last lane for use by heavy vehicles was not subject to the restrictions, police said at the time.
The road's maximum speed limit of 140kph remains unchanged.
"As part of efforts to enhance traffic safety and facilitate the movement of heavy trucks, the minimum speed limit on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Road (E311) has been removed, contributing to improved road flow and a safer environment for all drivers," Abu Dhabi Mobility said on social media.
Abu Dhabi Police said at the time the new traffic law was brought into force it was in an effort to deter drivers from travelling in the first two lanes at slow speeds, and to discourage tailgating.
“The goal of the low-speed activation is to ensure the safety of drivers, to require slow vehicles to move on the right lanes and to always make way for vehicles with preference coming from behind or from the left,” Gen Ahmed Saif Al Muhairi, director of Central Operations Sector at Abu Dhabi Police, said at the time.
Drivers travelling slowly – particularly in the far-left lane – can often be subject to aggressive tailgating from faster-moving vehicles approaching from behind.
Their behaviour can also force motorists travelling at far higher speeds to take evasive action, such as slowing down suddenly and swiftly switching lanes, which can be dangerous.
Key UAE route
The Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Road, named in honour of the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, was opened in November 2016.
The 62-kilometre motorway, built at a cost of Dh2.1 billion, shares traffic with Sheikh Zayed Road to ease congestion between the two cities.
The motorway begins where Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road ends in Seih Shuaib, on the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border, and has a capacity for 8,000 vehicles an hour, with four lanes in each direction.
It passes through the green belt at Al Maha Forest, Khalifa Port Industrial Zone and Bida Khalifa.
The road intersects with Al Ajban Road and bypasses Shahama, Zayed Military Camp and Al Falah, all the way to the Sweihan Road interchange.
It also directly links to Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi airport and Al Ain Road.
The decision came after authorities announced speed limits would be cut on two Abu Dhabi roads from Monday, April 14.
The limit on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed International Road – which forms part of the UAE's largest motorway, the E11 – will be cut from 160kph to 140kph.
The limit on the Abu Dhabi-Sweihan Road will be lowered from 120kph to 100kph.
Improving road safety
Police and transport authorities regularly revise speed limits under a broader push to bolster safety and reduce the number of deaths and injuries on the nation's roads.
Traffic accidents in the UAE increased by 8 per cent last year, with 4,748 recorded across the country, compared to 4,391 in 2023.
The number of deaths recorded was 384, higher than in 2023 and 2022, with about a third victims in their 20s.
