Covers come off new speed limits in Abu Dhabi
New speed limit signs in Abu Dhabi reveal the changes to how fast motorists are allowed to drive on the capital’s roads.
The buffer zone that allowed drivers to travel 20kph faster than the posted speed limit on the emirate’s roads without being fined was removed in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
The change was made after studies were conducted on the causes of traffic accidents, engineering standards and traffic density, according to the Government. Abu Dhabi Municipality used 18 teams to change the 4,096 speed signs across the emirate.
All signs had been changed by yesterday morning, the municipality said. Across most of the city, the signs now display the speed at which motorists were previously allowed to drive when the 20kph buffer was added to the displayed speed.
Signs on the Corniche that previously showed 60kph have been replaced with 80kph signs, while the 20kph increase is also being displayed on Khaleej Al Arabi Street in the capital, although the practical limit has not changed now that the buffer has been removed.
On the stretch of road between Deerfields Mall and Sheikh Zayed Bridge the speed limit is now signposted 140kph. This represents a 20kph increase on the previously displayed limit – 100kph displayed plus the 20kph buffer. The stretch had a 140kph limit in the past, but this was reduced to 100kph plus the buffer about a year ago.
Drivers welcomed the changes. Jennifer Bell, a British Abu Dhabi resident who works for a software company, drives to Dubai each day for work.
“Having one consistent speed limit on the same stretch of road is more convenient and it saves people from being caught out if they haven’t noticed the speed change,” she said.
Motorists were initially confused about how fast they could legally drive because many of the sign covers had not been removed on Sunday morning.
“It’s a lot clearer this morning,” said a Dubai resident who commutes to Abu Dhabi each day for work. On Sunday, there was a lot of confusion on the roads. Motorists were either going slower or at the previous limits.”
Crashes on the E11 and the E10, which link Abu Dhabi to Dubai, dropped by almost a third after the speed limit was reduced from 160kph to 140kph in 2011.
A study by UAE University found the change had successfully reduced variations in traffic speed.