The road network is well designed here, but can be a little confusing at times. As with any destination, you need to verse yourself in the road rules before hitting the highway.
Speed cameras are everywhere. Even if you can’t see them they’re there.
Driving is on the right. This should be no problem for American travelers, but for those from Australia and the UK it will require a side switch, not to mention, double the concentration.
And it’s kilometers, not miles, per hour. If you’re used to miles per hour, you’ll need to adjust to kilometers per hour as that’s what the signage signifies.
Be aware of minimum and maximum speed zones. You shouldn’t go any slower than 60km/hour on busy highways; that is as dangerous as going too fast and you must remain in the slow lane. Maximum limits are generally 120km/hr but on some motorways outside of the city, they can be as fast as 140km/hr. Generally, speeds range from 40km/hr to 100km/hr, depending on where you are in the city.
Speed cameras are everywhere. Even if you can’t see them, they’re there. The UAE is serious about road safety and fines can be eye-watering, so make sure you remain within the assigned limit and move over safely if you need to.
Watch out for road hazards. Not so much on the major freeways, but this is the desert and there have been occasions when camels, gazelle and goats have wandered onto the road. On busier stretches, sometimes debris from another car can become airborne at speed or a rickety truck might pull out of the slow lane without looking, so just have your wits about you and try to avoid any kind of distraction while you’re driving.
Drinking and driving, no way. Alcohol is illegal in the UAE, which means there is no legal amount of liquor allowed on your breath. Fines can be as much as AED 25,000 and you could face jail time.
Seatbelts are mandatory. All passengers must be restrained and no one under the age of 10 can sit in the front passenger seat. Fines start from AED 400 per person.
Avoid rush hour where you can. The roads are the busiest between 6.30am-9am and 4.30pm-7pm with commuters and school buses moving around.
Waze is a lifesaver. The navigation app got me through my time as a road-using UAE expat. You can download it through Google Play or the App store and it is up to date and accurate, but just be aware of international data fees.
