A sharp increase in vehicle ownership and newly issued driving licenses has driven a notable rise in road accidents in 2025, according to Ministry of Interior (MOI) open data analyzed by RoadSafetyUAE.
The country recorded 853,411 new vehicle registrations in 2025, up from 779,276 in 2024, while 558,191 new driving licenses were issued compared to 504,377 in the previous year.
The increase in road users coincided with a 23% jump in major road accidents, which reached 6,014 cases in 2025 from 4,898 in 2024. Total fatalities and injuries also rose by 20% to 7,947 from 6,618 a year earlier.
RoadSafetyUAE said the figures reflect rising traffic density driven by population growth and increased mobility demand across the country. It also noted that new drivers accounted for 15% of major accidents, underscoring challenges in integrating inexperienced motorists into increasingly congested roads.
The UAE’s expanding transport network has also led to more complex road interactions among vehicles, motorcycles, and micro-mobility users.
Despite infrastructure improvements, driver behavior remains a key factor in crashes, with nearly 60% of major accidents linked to sudden deviation, distracted driving, tailgating, and negligence or inattention.
Vulnerable road users saw the highest increase in incidents, including a 97% rise in e-scooter accidents, 76% increase in bicycle crashes, 39% growth in motorcycle accidents, and 29% rise in electric bike-related incidents.
Motorcycles now account for 20% of all road accidents, second only to light vehicles, which remain the largest category at 64%.
RoadSafetyUAE founder and managing director Thomas Edelmann said the rise must be viewed in the context of rapid transport expansion and population growth.
He added that distracted driving, especially mobile phone use, along with sudden lane changes and tailgating, continues to be a major concern.
The group has called for stronger driver education, possible staged licensing systems, stricter enforcement of traffic violations, and improved protection for cyclists and e-scooter users.
It also urged broader cooperation, including potential involvement from telecom operators to help reduce mobile phone distraction while driving.
With more than half a million new drivers and over 850,000 additional vehicles on UAE roads in a single year, authorities face growing pressure to balance mobility expansion with road safety.
