Dubai Records 90% Drop in Road Fatalities Since 2007: RTA and Police Review Safety Milestones

Dubai has witnessed a dramatic 90% decline in road fatalities and traffic accidents between 2007 and 2024, according to a recent review by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Police.

In a high-level meeting held to assess progress on the Dubai Traffic Safety Strategy 2022–2026, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Police announced a 90% reduction in road-related fatalities and incidents since 2007.

The review, chaired by Mattar Al Tayer, RTA Director General, and Lt. Gen. Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, highlighted major gains in road safety through infrastructure upgrades, enforcement measures, and public awareness campaigns.

Al Tayer credited 53 joint programmes in 2024 for this milestone, affirming the shared goal of achieving zero road fatalities and making Dubai a global model in traffic safety. Lt. Gen. Al Marri praised the impact of community-wide awareness efforts and strict enforcement.

Key performance indicators include:

• Fatalities per 100,000 people down from 21.7 (2007) to 1.8 (2024)
• Pedestrian deaths reduced from 9.5 to 0.3
• Fatalities and serious injuries combined fell from 36.2 to 4
• Death rate per 10,000 vehicles down from 4.2 to 0.45

Enforcement in 2024 led to over 145,000 violations among delivery riders, 40,000 involving bicycles and e-scooters, and around 60,000 pedestrian offences. Nearly 82,000 vehicles and personal mobility devices were impounded.

Eight major awareness campaigns reached 255,000+ people, and educational videos on traffic risks garnered 117 million+ views. Authorities also held 85 workshops for 15,000+ delivery drivers and introduced dedicated campaigns for trucks.

The meeting also showcased RTA’s Roads and Transport Plan 2030, covering four key pillars:

1. Infrastructure Upgrades – 39 road projects, including Latifa bint Hamdan Street and Trade Centre Roundabout
2. Transport Policy Reform – Flexible hours, dynamic toll pricing, truck restrictions
3. Public Transit Expansion – Metro Blue Line, suspended transit studies, and marine upgrades
4. Smart Traffic Systems – Intelligent Traffic System Phase 2, targeting full city coverage

With rising use of bicycles and e-scooters, a Personal Mobility Monitoring Unit will be launched to enforce safety on soft mobility lanes, monitor traffic flow, and educate users. Bicycle trips jumped from 44M to 46.6M, and e-scooter trips rose from 30M to 32.3M in just a year.

RTA and Dubai Police reaffirmed their commitment to safer roads, promising stronger inspections, improved driver licensing, and smarter enforcement systems moving forward.

#DubaiTraffic #RoadSafety #DubaiPolice #RTA #SmartMobility #ZeroFatalities #TrafficSafetyStrategy #DubaiNews #PublicSafety