UAE to ban trucks weighing over 65 tonnes in February 2024: The UAE’s federal government has issued amendments to a law capping heavy trucks operating on the country’s roads to 65 tonnes, WAM reported. The nation-wide mandate looks to promote safety and safeguard the UAE’s road infrastructure.

Truckers will have until 1 February 2024 to tow the line: Despite the legislation taking effect on 1 October, vehicle owners and companies will have a four-month grace period to adjust before penalties are enforced beginning 1 February 2024, Al Mazrouei said (watch, runtime: 03:29). 24 smart electronic gates will be installed throughout the UAE to monitor compliance and record violations, Al Mazrouei added.

Who will be affected? All heavy vehicles operating on the UAE’s roads fall under the law’s purview, including those that were licensed outside the UAE and permitted into the country, WAM added. Security, military, police, and civil defense vehicles are exempt from the law.

Safer highways, reduced maintenance costs, and emissions cutbacks are expected upshots: Studies show that accidents involving heavy trucks result in deaths 62% of the time, a rate that is “unacceptable,” Al Mazrouei commented. The new amendments are expected to roll back deaths from motor accidents by 50%, WAM reported. The regulation is also slated to reduce road maintenance bills by AED 200 mn a year and cut back carbon emissions by 5 bn kilograms by 2032, WAM said.

What they said: “The new amendments support the government’s efforts to ensure our infrastructure is one of the safest and most technologically advanced in the world,” said Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, according to WAM.

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