Road safety campaigners are calling for average-speed cameras to be introduced across the UAE to put an end to motorists slowing before traps to avoid fines.
The cameras, which are used in other countries, calculate the average speed of a vehicle between two fixed points.
Thomas Edelmann, managing director of RoadSafety UAE, said he believed introducing the cameras would go a long way to making motorists think twice about speeding.
He said installing the cameras on the 140 kilometre stretch of road between Abu Dhabi and Dubai was likely to reduce speeding-related accidents.
"You could easily place one camera as you are leaving Dubai and the other as you enter Abu Dhabi," he said.
Average-speed cameras work by scanning the number plates of cars as they pass one camera. The plate is scanned again when the vehicle reaches the second point.
As the distance between the two points is fixed, the average speed of the vehicle can be determined.
Drivers would not be able to avoid fines by simply slowing down before they reach the cameras, which is commonplace with other speed traps.
The cameras use infrared technology, allowing them to operate day and night.
They are common in Britain, Austria, Poland, Italy and Australia and are regarded as an important deterrent against speeding motorists.
"There is nothing to hold us back from putting the infrastructure in place to use these cameras," Mr Edelmann said.
He said they would help to reduce the amount of accidents on roads across the country.
About 150 people died in road accidents in Abu Dhabi last year. In Dubai, road accidents killed 468 people during the same period.
Between 2014 and 2018, more than 3,120 people died on the UAE's roads with another 31,829 people were injured.
Speeding is widely regarded as one of the main causes of road accidents in the country.
Problems such as tailgating, sudden lane-changing, inattentiveness and the use of mobile phones while behind the wheel are also dangerous.
Average-speed cameras were used as part of a trial in Dubai last year, the chairman of the Federal Traffic Council said.
"We tried it in Dubai, on the road to Hatta, last year but it didn't work like we wanted it to. The location of the cameras proved to be a problem," said Maj Gen Mohammed Al Zafeen, who is also assistant commander-in-chief of Dubai Police.
He said the cameras, which were installed on the road for several months, were placed about 3km apart.
He suggested it could be possible that cameras installed at one-kilometre intervals would provide better results.
No fines were issued during the trial period as its purpose was to study the feasibility of using the average-speed cameras elsewhere in Dubai, Maj Gen Al Zafeen said.
But he refused to rule out introducing cameras along the emirate's roads, despite the disappointing trial.
"In theory, it is perfect. If the driver drives too fast then they will be caught no matter what," he said.
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
