Campaigners call for riders to focus on safety over fast food deliveries as deadlines tighten

Fears grow that bikers are taking more risks with their lives and safety on UAE's roads

A delivery worker on his motorcycle in Dubai. Pressure not to keep customers waiting is leading to some reckless riding, campaigners say. EPA

Delivery riders in the UAE are so focused on reaching customers on time that they often prioritise speed over safety, experts say.

Sharjah Police reported more than 30,000 fines for motorcycles, delivery bikes, buses and heavy vehicles since regulations, passed in November, banned them from using fast lanes or face a Dh500 fine. Penalties can rise to Dh700 for a second offence.

Dubai Police also hope to improve safety as traffic levels continue to soar along with the demand for home deliveries. Under new regulations, delivery riders will be banned from using the two far-left lanes on roads with five lanes or more and from using the farthest left lane on roads with three or four lanes.

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But experts said pressure on riders by delivery companies to meet shorter waiting times for consumers is at the heart of the matter, contributing to unsafe riding and frequent traffic offences.

“These aggregator brands and fleet operators are focusing on short delivery time, rather than on rider well-being. Delivery riders doing all kind of stunts, taking U-turns from non-authorised areas, using the hard shoulder and walkways in order to deliver on time,” Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of Road SafetyUAE, told The National.

“There is disrespect to the rules. They only think about delivery times because the aggregator brands are telling them to do so.”

Mr Edelmann said there is a huge amount of pressure on riders to do everything to satisfy demand. “The riders are desperate to deliver on time because the brands focus on quick delivery and, as a result, riders are violating many rules like driving in fast lanes," he added.

There are an estimated 124,000 commercial delivery bikes in the UAE, the majority of them, about 92,000, in Dubai.

What can be done?

The Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai on Monday introduced a front licence plate for motorcycles and e-bikes used in corporate delivery services. These vehicles previously carried only rear plates.

The new requirement takes effect at the end of December and will be implemented gradually as licences are renewed.

“The move is part of a wider regulatory framework to enhance the safety and security of the fast‑growing delivery sector and aligns with international best practices,” the authority said in a statement.

Dr Mustafa Al Dah, an expert in safe driving for young motorists and riders and a leading roads researcher, said there has been a jump in transport statistics, including licences issued, vehicles registered, and the amount of road construction.

“There has been a massive increase in delivery bikes, and many riders are newly qualified, so they lack the experience in the UAE to tell what a deadly mistake looks like, until they or someone they know has a close shave,” Mr Al Dah told The National.

“Most humans have a sense of self-preservation, but sometimes from what I see personally with the thousands of crashes I have reviewed, it does seem that self-preservation is not the first thing on the mind of delivery bike riders.”

He said the new ruling on using fast lanes is one of the many things that can be done to improve the safety of riders, as the meaning of lane discipline in the UAE is different to what it is in the UK and Germany.

“This very welcome development from the authorities shows that the preservation of life is at the forefront of their efforts. This also points us to how we can improve the use of the amazing road network in the future,” he added.

Mr Al Dah called on all involved in transport, road users, government authorities, regulators and lawmakers, to start the movement for re-educating the public on the importance of "keep right unless overtaking" and leaving a safe distance.