UAE tightens traffic rules to protect delivery riders / AI-generated illustration
Food may still come fast, but delivery riders won’t be allowed to race to get it to you anymore. In a joint announcement made in late October 2025, Dubai’s RTA and Sharjah Police unveiled tough new traffic rules for delivery riders, warning that reckless riding could now lead to Dh1,500 fines, suspended permits, and even platform bans. The message from authorities is clear: safety over speed.
New lane rules for delivery riders in Dubai and Sharjah
From November 1, 2025, the emirates of Dubai and Sharjah will see strict new regulations targeting delivery motorcycles and heavy-vehicles. In Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in coordination with Dubai Police will ban delivery riders from using the fastest lanes on major roads. On roads with five or more lanes, they cannot ride in the two leftmost (fastest) lanes; on roads with three or four lanes, they cannot use the leftmost lane. This change follows a rise in road accidents involving delivery riders. In Sharjah, authorities are implementing a dedicated lane-management system: heavy-vehicles and buses must keep to the far-right lanes, while motorcycles (including delivery bikes) will be restricted to the middle or right lanes depending on road width (for example: on a four-lane road they can use the two right-most lanes; on a two-lane road only the right lane). Enforcement will rely on smart radars, high-definition cameras and 24-hour monitoring.
What’s changing: Penalties and monitoring
The new rules aren’t just about new signs, they come with significant consequences. In Dubai, fines start at AED 500 for a first offence, AED 700 for the second offence, and on the third violation the delivery rider’s permit may be suspended. Violations of speed limits (exceeding 100 km/h) by delivery bikes are also targeted: the first time AED 200, rising to AED 300 and AED 400 for repeat offences. In Sharjah, heavy vehicles failing to stay in designated lanes face fines up to AED 1,500 plus 12 traffic-black-points; riders ignoring lane signs may face fines around AED 500. The motive behind the crackdown: a steep rise in accidents involving delivery riders and the growing number of delivery bikes on the road, prompted by booming e-commerce and food-delivery sectors. These measures form part of broader traffic-safety strategies focusing on enforcement, road engineering and awareness campaigns.
What delivery riders and customer should know
- For delivery riders:
- From Nov 1, check which lanes you’re allowed to use — it depends on the road width.
- Be aware of heightened surveillance (cameras, radars) and steeper fines/permit risks.
- Speed-limit behaviour is under sharper scrutiny.
- For delivery companies:
- Make sure riders are informed and trained on new rules.
- Update routing so bikes avoid prohibited lanes — this may affect delivery time slightly.
- Monitor riders’ permit status and company liability in case of violations.
- For customers and general road users:
- Expect improvements in lane discipline and perhaps fewer accidents involving delivery bikes.
- Delivery-times might get affected in the fine-tuning period.
- Awareness of the rules might help smoother traffic flow.
Conclusion
This crackdown signals that Dubai and Sharjah are taking the surge in delivery-motorcycle traffic seriously, and moving from reactive to proactive traffic-safety governance. By restricting faster lanes and enforcing penalties, authorities hope to reduce reckless riding, collisions and fatalities. For riders it means adaptation; for everyone else it means potentially safer roads and clearer separation of different types of vehicles.If you’re involved in the delivery business (rider, fleet manager, platform) or you’re a road user in these emirates, mark the date November 1, 2025, the rules change then. Being aware today means avoiding fines tomorrow. Go to Source
