Road rage is an issue for drivers during traffic congestion in the UAE, according to a survey that found more than 80 per cent of motorists experienced regular aggressive behaviour.
An in-depth report on driver behaviour, produced by Road Safety UAE and Al Wathba Insurance, looked at factors that contribute to how motorists respond to situations on the roads.
Researchers asked 1,021 drivers in June about their road habits, with 86 per cent saying they were regularly caught up in congestion. Almost half of respondents (47 per cent) said they felt frustrated, annoyed, very stressed or anxious when stuck in traffic jams. A further 82 per cent said they regularly witnessed rude or aggressive behaviour on the roads.
“For most, traffic congestion means high levels of stress and frustration,” said Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of Road Safety UAE. “This can cause misbehaviour, which carries the risk of accidents, so from a road safety perspective, traffic congestion should be avoided."
Motorists in the UAE "notice a lot of rude or aggressive behaviour in traffic jams and, hence, the awareness for polite and caring manners must be raised", he added.
Criminal offence
Road rage has become a catch-all term for poor behaviour from motorists. It is defined by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as cases when a driver commits moving traffic offences that endanger another person or property.
In the US, about 66 per cent of traffic-related deaths result from aggressive driving, the administration said, with men under the age of 19 the most likely group to commit road rage. It is a common problem around the world, with Highways England in 2022 reporting 12.5 per cent of road casualties were caused by aggressive driving such as tailgating.
Road rage is a criminal offence in the UAE, if it results in a crime such as causing an accident resulting in injury or death, or if a driver use offensive language or gestures.
The latest UAE road survey also looked at how common congestion is and the reasons for it. It found 80 per cent of people experienced more traffic than in 2024 and more than half of respondents (54 per cent) were driving alone, rather than sharing lifts.
“The dependency on road transportation is extremely high in the UAE and we need to find ways to reduce this and, as a consequence, reduce the number of vehicles on the roads, especially, considering the high number of motorists travelling alone in their cars without passengers,” Mr Edelmann said.
What is being done?
Considerable improvements to road infrastructure are well under way across the country, to ease congestion in some of the UAE’s most notorious choke-points.
The Dh750 million ($204.2 million) Emirates Road development project is the latest initiative aimed at tackling on the thorny traffic issue. The two-year project is expected to get under way in September and will increase the number of lanes from three to five, connecting a 25km stretch of road between Al Badee Interchange in Sharjah to Umm Al Quwain.
Once completed, it will allow a 65 per cent increase in capacity on the road to about 9,000 vehicles an hour.
The project, launched by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, follows the Dh689 million Hessa Street expansion that began in 2023 and aims to cut travel times on one of Dubai’s busiest roads, as well as the Umm Suqeim-Al Qudra road improvements that are more than 70 per cent complete.
Positive driving culture
A YouGov study of more than 1,000 drivers in February 2018 found that most (72 per cent) experienced a positive driving culture in the UAE. Of the drivers surveyed, 65 per cent said they were considerate on the roads and were happy to give way to other motorists.
The most unfriendly acts on the roads in 2018 were sudden lane changes, drivers running late, speeding and bullying or aggressive behaviour such as tailgating.
Muralikrishnan Raman, chief financial officer at Al Wathba Insurance, said it was important to understand the changing nature of road behaviour so positive changes could be made.
“Through this survey, we wanted to give concerned traffic participants a voice,” he said. “We need to understand their feelings and perceptions with regards to the omnipresent traffic congestion, and also to understand how much they depend on road transportation.”
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Match info
Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)
Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Sunday's games
Liverpool v West Ham United, 4.30pm (UAE)
Southampton v Burnley, 4.30pm
Arsenal v Manchester City, 7pm
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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Day 2, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dinesh Chandimal has inherited a challenging job, after being made Sri Lanka’s Test captain. He responded in perfect fashion, with an easy-natured century against Pakistan. He brought up three figures with a majestic cover drive, which he just stood and admired.
Stat of the day – 33 It took 33 balls for Dilruwan Perera to get off the mark. His time on zero was eventful enough. The Sri Lankan No 7 was given out LBW twice, but managed to have both decisions overturned on review. The TV replays showed both times that he had inside edged the ball onto his pad.
The verdict In the two previous times these two sides have met in Abu Dhabi, the Tests have been drawn. The docile nature of proceedings so far makes that the likely outcome again this time, but both sides will be harbouring thoughts that they can force their way into a winning position.
