Half a million new drivers, 850,000 vehicles: UAE accident figures rise 23%

Dubai: A sharp rise in the number of vehicles on UAE roads and a surge in newly issued driving licences have contributed to a significant increase in road accidents in 2025, according to Ministry of Interior (MOI) open data analysed by RoadSafetyUAE.

The country recorded 853,411 new vehicle registrations in 2025, up from 779,276 in 2024, while 558,191 new driving licences were issued, compared to 504,377 in the previous year. This rapid expansion in road users has coincided with a notable rise in road incidents.

Roads get busier

The UAE saw 6,014 major road accidents in 2025, a 23% increase compared to 4,898 in 2024. The number of people injured or killed also rose 20% to 7,947, up from 6,618 a year earlier.

RoadSafetyUAE says the figures clearly reflect the impact of increased traffic density, driven by sustained population growth and rising mobility demand across the country.

New drivers

The growing number of new drivers is also emerging as a key factor. New licence holders accounted for 15% of major accidents in 2025, highlighting the challenges of integrating large volumes of inexperienced drivers into increasingly congested roads.

The UAE’s expanding transport network and rising vehicle ownership have created a more complex traffic environment, with more interactions between cars, motorcycles, and micro-mobility users.

Behavioural violations

Despite infrastructure improvements, driver behaviour continues to play a dominant role in accidents. Nearly 60% of major crashes are caused by just four violations:

• Sudden deviation (18%)

• Distracted driving (16%)

• Tailgating (14%)

• Negligence and inattention (11%)

Together, these point to human behaviour rather than road conditions as the leading contributor to serious incidents.

Two-wheeler, greater risk

As traffic density increases, vulnerable road users are facing the highest risk escalation:

• e-Scooter accidents nearly doubled (+97%) to 120 cases

• Bicycle accidents rose 76% to 158 cases

• Motorcycle accidents increased 39% to 1,224 cases

• Electric bike accidents rose 29% to 62 cases

Motorcycles now represent 20% of all road accidents, second only to light vehicles, which remain the largest category at 64% of incidents.

Safety challenges

Thomas Edelmann, Founder and Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE, said the rise in accidents must be viewed in the context of rapid transport expansion.

“Big numbers of new drivers and newly registered vehicles have made our roads fuller than ever,” Edelmann said. “This reflects the UAE’s continued success in attracting residents and economic activity, but increased road density naturally leads to higher exposure and risk.”

He added that distracted driving, particularly linked to mobile phone use, remains a major concern alongside sudden lane changes and close following distances.

Vulnerable users

RoadSafetyUAE has called for enhanced focus on safety education and regulation, particularly for new drivers and vulnerable road users.

Recommended measures include:

• Improved driver education and revised training curricula

• Consideration of staged licensing systems for new drivers

• Stronger enforcement against distracted driving and tailgating

• Better protection and infrastructure for e-scooters and cyclists

• Greater accountability for delivery fleets and motorcycle operators

Challenges

The organisation also urged a wider ecosystem response, including potential involvement from telecom operators to address mobile phone distraction while driving.

With more than half a million new drivers and over 850,000 additional vehicles joining UAE roads in a single year, authorities face a growing challenge of maintaining safety amid rapid mobility expansion.

While infrastructure continues to evolve, the latest data suggests that managing driver behaviour and protecting vulnerable road users will be central to improving road safety outcomes in the years ahead.