Dubai Police confiscated 408 light vehicles, including 300 e-scooters, 50 e-bikes and 58 regular bicycles, during a road-safety crackdown centred on the Naif district and the nearby Gold Souq, one of the city's busiest pedestrian areas. The operation targeted riders who were using motorised scooters and bicycles outside the lanes designated for them, a practice police say sharply raises the risk of collisions with pedestrians and other traffic.
Brigadier Omar Ashour, director of Naif Police Station, said riding in areas not meant for scooters and bikes increases accident risk, and confirmed that legal action was taken against several riders found in violation of traffic rules. Alongside the seizures, officers distributed safety gear such as helmets and reflective vests to roughly 932 workers in the area who rely on these vehicles for deliveries and daily commuting.
Under Roads and Transport Authority rules, e-scooters are limited to 20kph on designated tracks, and riders must be at least 16 years old and hold a valid RTA permit. Officers say many of the confiscated vehicles were being ridden on main roads and footpaths in breach of those conditions.
The crackdown comes amid a steep rise in e-scooter-related accidents nationwide: UAE figures show incidents jumped 97 per cent in 2025, from 61 to 120 cases. Dubai Police have impounded more than 13,657 e-scooters so far in 2026 for dangerous riding, underlining how enforcement has intensified this year.
Authorities are urging residents and delivery riders to stick to designated cycling and scooter lanes, avoid footpaths and busy commercial streets, and ensure their vehicles and permits meet RTA standards before heading out, as further safety patrols are expected in high-footfall districts across the city.