UAE motorists’ alert: New speed limit to come into force from Aug 12

Agencies

August 8, 2018

Abu Dhabi, Aug 8: Beginning August 12, motorists crossing the set speed limits on Abu Dhabi roads, even by 1kmph, will be fined for speeding as the Abu Dhabi Police have decided to abolish 20kmph speed limit buffer.

The General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police announced earlier hat the speed limit on the roads will be revised and motorists can no longer enjoy the buffer from August 12 onwards. Speed limits on highways and internal roads will be increased by the buffer margin from this date.

Major-General Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, Commander-in-Chief of the Abu Dhabi Police and a member of the Executive Council, said that the decision to amend the speed limit on the roads was taken after several scientific studies.

Earlier this month, the Abu Dhabi Police hinted at plans to abolish the speed limit buffer on certain roads in the Capital.

Currently, most roads in the Capital have a buffer that allows motorists to travel 20kmph faster than what is advertised as the speed limit, without being penalised or fined.

An Abu Dhabi Police official told Khaleej Times that enhancing road safety and security and reducing the number of road accidents, injuries and fatalities is a priority for the authorities.

"The Abu Dhabi Police will continue to do what we can to ensure the safety of all road users in the Capital. We urge all motorists to be cautious on the roads, to drive safely, watch their speed limit, ensure they and their passengers are buckled up, not to use their mobile phones while driving, to keep a safe distance between vehicles and to abide by other road rules," the official said.

In January, the Abu Dhabi Police revealed that motorists in the emirate were slapped with 4.6 million traffic fines in 2017, with a majority being related to speeding.

Speeding topped the list of traffic violations which comprised 79.8 per cent of the total fines.

The police announced that speeding tickets reached 3.8 million last year, whereas in 2016, speeding tickets reached 3.7 million. However, officials have not yet revealed the total number of speeding tickets slapped on motorists this year.

The Abu Dhabi Police adopted a set of recommendations and technical procedures that will contribute to implementing the new speed limit.

Major-General Al Romaithi pointed out that the decision on the new speed limits and the removal of the speed buffer, was based on scientific studies carried out by a specialised team of the General Command of Abu Dhabi Police, departments of transport and urban planning and municipalities.

He stressed that the studies focused on conducting a traffic survey to identify the road behaviour of drivers compared to the speed limit of the road, and comparisons of standard speed and speed limit buffer. Some countries have achieved outstanding results in traffic safety levels after such studies. Major-General Al Romaithi urged the motorists to deal positively with the new road speed limits.

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Syrian Town erupts after Israeli forces enter Beit Jinn; heavy casualties reported

News Network

November 28,2025

Several Syrians were killed and more than two dozen others injured in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, amid intensified incursions by the occupying regime since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rule.

Syrian state TV reported that the casualties occurred during an overnight Israeli assault involving helicopters and drones on the town of Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside. The attack followed an Israeli military unit’s entry into the town, where they were surrounded by local residents, leading to gunfire and direct confrontations.

According to the report, “The occupation army’s helicopters and artillery shelled Beit Jinn, located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, resulting in 13 martyrs and 25 injured civilians.” The broadcaster did not specify the full extent of damage.

Al-Ikhbariyah Syria confirmed that the shelling coincided with Israeli soldiers entering Beit Jinn, while artillery pounded surrounding areas. The broadcaster stated that the escalation began after local residents clashed with an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated the southern town and “kidnapped” three young men.

Following a two-hour exchange of heavy fire, Israeli forces withdrew and repositioned on the hill of Butt al-Warda at the town’s outskirts.

Israeli media acknowledged that six soldiers were wounded in the clashes—three of them seriously—describing the confrontation as a “sudden ambush” that forced the deployment of reserve units and air support to secure an exit route. No further details were provided.

The aggression has fueled renewed displacement from Beit Jinn, with residents fleeing to nearby villages amid increasingly frequent Israeli attacks.

The raid came just a day after Israeli troops carried out another ground incursion into Umm al-Luqas village in Quneitra province. According to SANA, an Israeli unit in four vehicles entered the village, raided several homes, and later withdrew.

Syria condemned the repeated incursions as violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and UN resolutions, urging the international community to enforce compliance and pressure Israel to halt its operations and withdraw fully.

Israel has expanded its attacks across Syrian territory following the collapse of the Assad government last year. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly instructed his forces to push deeper into Syrian territory and seize strategic positions.

Meanwhile, critics say the HTS-led interim government’s inaction and growing normalization gestures toward Israel have emboldened Tel Aviv to intensify its military operations. HTS, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, seized control of Damascus last December, formally ending Assad’s rule.

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