Police in Abu Dhabi have seized 9,237 e-scooters in the past 10 months across the emirate.
The e-scooters were confiscated as part of a crackdown on breaches of the rules that govern their use on public roads, between vehicles, and in areas where they are forbidden.
Police posted on Facebook that they had clamped down on “electric scooters violating traffic rules and regulations during 2026, as a result of their use on public roads, between vehicles, and on paths not designated for them, posing a danger to the safety of their users and road users”.
“One of the most dangerous behaviours among electric scooter drivers is driving without paying attention to traffic, not wearing a helmet, and not wearing safety gear, which increases the likelihood of traffic accidents that may result in serious injuries or deaths,” police said on Sunday.
Earlier this year, The National reported that data from the Ministry of Interior revealed a 97 per cent increase in major e-scooter accidents in 2025 compared with the previous year – a jump from 61 to 120.
Alongside these figures, Al Wathba Insurance and RoadSafetyUAE conducted an e-scooter perception study and found that 93 per cent of UAE residents witness e-scooter riders behaving unsafely or recklessly, while 90 per cent personally feel unsafe because of the way e-scooters are used.
Where can you ride an e-scooter in Abu Dhabi?
E-scooters can only be used in areas designated by the Integrated Transport Centre in the capital.
These are:
- Internal roads with speed limits less than 40kph.
- Lanes shared by pedestrians and cyclists.
- Cycle lanes designated for cyclists and e-scooter riders.
You cannot ride e-scooters in three main areas. These are:
- Highways with a speed limit of 60kph or higher.
- Public roads and motorways.
- Pedestrian lanes.