Dubai Experiences a Significant 92% Reduction in Road Fatalities with RTA and Police Introducing Ambitious 2025 Safety Initiative
In a bid to ensure the safety of road users, Dubai has established a new initiative known as the Personal Mobility Monitoring Unit. The unit, launched in April 2025, is dedicated to regulating the behaviour of electric scooter and cyclist riders to enhance traffic safety within the Emirate.
The unit's focus is on real-time violation tracking and stricter enforcement of traffic laws to reduce accidents and improve road safety for personal mobility device users. This comes as a response to the growing popularity of electric scooters as urban transport and concerns raised by community voices about dangerous riding behaviours.
The Personal Mobility Monitoring Unit's efforts have resulted in an increase in enforcement actions, such as the confiscation of 656 scooters in the Al Barsha district alone for traffic violations during 2024. This reflects the ongoing challenges with rule adherence and road safety.
The Dubai authorities' broader efforts to improve safety for e-scooter riders and cyclists also include the use of advanced AI-powered monitoring systems in driving schools. However, this system primarily addresses driving school trainees and is not directly linked to the personal mobility unit for scooters.
Meanwhile, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is making enhancements to road infrastructure, public transport, traffic policy, and smart systems as part of its 2030 plan. Flexible working hour policies are also included in this plan to encourage the use of public transport and reduce traffic congestion.
In 2024, the use of electric scooters and bicycles reached nearly 79 million trips, reflecting the growing popularity of these modes of transport. Despite this, road fatalities have plummeted by an impressive 92% from 21.7 per 100,000 people in 2007 to just 1.8 in 2024. Pedestrian deaths have also dropped significantly, from 9.5 to 0.3 during the same period.
At a high-level coordination meeting, Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the RTA, and Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, reaffirmed their strategic partnership to elevate road safety and transport security across the Emirate. The meeting focused on reviewing progress and outlining future plans under the Dubai Traffic Safety Strategy 2022-2026.
Al Marri emphasized the impact of awareness campaigns, which reached over 255,000 people and garnered more than 117 million views through 24 educational videos. These campaigns aim to educate the public about safe road usage and promote responsible behaviour among all road users.
In conclusion, Dubai's Personal Mobility Monitoring Unit is a significant step towards ensuring the safety of electric scooter and cyclist riders. The unit's focus on violation detection and penalties is contributing to better road safety outcomes by curbing unsafe behaviours amid rising scooter use. The city's broader efforts to improve road safety, including awareness campaigns and advanced monitoring systems, demonstrate Dubai's commitment to creating a safer and more efficient transport system for all its residents.
- The growing popularity of electric scooters as urban transport necessitates a focus on education about safe road usage to promote responsible behavior among riders, as highlighted in the awareness campaigns in Dubai.
- To further improve safety for electric scooter riders and cyclists, the Dubai authorities are considering the integration of AI-powered monitoring systems in the industry, such as those used in driving schools, beyond just driving school trainees.
- The 2030 plan of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) includes investments in finance for enhancements to road infrastructure, public transportation, traffic policy, smart systems, and flexible working hour policies aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving the safety of transportation, including that of electric scooter riders.
