There’s a unique kind of connection UAE residents share — and yep, it happens in traffic.
It’s that silent eye contact with strangers in the next car, the not-so-subtle judgment of each other’s playlist, and those deep life reflections during a five-minute crawl.
It’s where podcasts get binged, voice notes become therapy, and iced coffee turns lukewarm before you even hit the exit. Relatable? Absolutely.
And if you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Hold up, wasn’t this road totally fine last week?” — trust us, you’re not the only one.
A fresh new study is here to confirm what your morning commute already knows: traffic is a struggle felt by all
The study, commissioned by RoadSafetyUAE and Al Wathba Insurance, surveyed 1,021 UAE residents, and here’s what came out of it:
- 86% of UAE residents say they face traffic congestion.
- 80% say it’s worse than last year.
- 91% of Dubai residents feel the jam.
- 90% in Sharjah are right there with them.
So… yeah, it’s not just you.
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The report suggests that a major reason for this congestion is the sheer volume of cars
RTA shared a while back that Dubai’s roads see a whopping 3.5 million vehicles during the day — that’s a 10% jump in just two years!
Now throw in the fact that most offices and schools kick off around the same time, and boom: you’ve got the perfect storm for some serious bumper-to-bumper bonding.
Top traffic moments?
- The classic morning work commute
- The school run
- And the afternoon rush home
Even quick errands, like a quick supermarket dash, now come with a side of “Why is there traffic here too?!”
Fun fact: Abu Dhabi took the crown for the most congestion across all trip types — with Dubai cruising in right behind.
Traffic royalty? Not exactly the title anyone was asking for.
Sure, traffic tests our patience — but it’s also this weird little shared experience that brings us all together.
Until flying cars go mainstream or teleportation becomes real, we’ll keep syncing our playlists, sipping iced lattes before they melt, and leaving the house earlier than we’d like. It’s the unspoken rhythm of UAE life.
