The UAE recorded 384 road fatalities last year, marking a rise from 352 in 2023 and 343 in 2022, despite ongoing safety campaigns and stricter enforcement measures. Official figures also showed an 8 percent increase in traffic accidents, with 4,748 incidents reported nationwide compared to 4,391 the previous year.
According to a The National report, a significant number of those who lost their lives were young adults, with 133 victims aged between 19 and 29, and 149 between 30 and 44. The rise in fatalities comes as the country experiences a population boom, leading to increased traffic congestion and more motorists on the roads.
Thomas Edelmann, founder of Road Safety UAE, linked the surge in accidents to heavier traffic, growing numbers of driving licence holders, and declining road etiquette. Studies suggest that many motorists fail to use indicators, make sudden lane changes, and get distracted by mobile phones, with 55 percent admitting to phone use while driving.
“It’s alarming to see fatalities increase for the second year in a row,” Edelmann said, calling for more education efforts targeting young drivers, particularly men, who are statistically more involved in accidents.
Most fatal crashes occurred in clear weather conditions, underscoring human error as the leading cause of road accidents in the UAE.
