Abu Dhabi E311 speed limit is now 100km/h - what happens if you drive at 101km/h?

Dubai: Abu Dhabi motorists using a major stretch of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Street (E311) now face a lower speed limit.

The speed limit on a major stretch of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Street (E311) has been reduced from 120km/h to 100km/h in both directions, with the change taking effect from today.

The change was announced by Abu Dhabi Mobility on Saturday and applies to a key section of the highway used by motorists travelling between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. So, what happens if the new speed limit is 100km/h and you drive at 101km/h?

Can you drive at 101km/h on Abu Dhabi E311?

Motorists should not assume there is a grace-speed buffer in Abu Dhabi. Since 2018, Abu Dhabi has operated a zero-tolerance speeding system. This means the speed displayed on the road sign is the legal speed limit.

So, where the sign says 100km/h, driving at 101km/h means you are exceeding the posted speed limit. Abu Dhabi radar cameras can detect vehicles exceeding the applicable speed limit.

Speeding fines in Abu Dhabi range from Dh300 to Dh3,000, depending on how much the driver exceeds the limit.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai have different speeding rules

The difference is important for motorists who regularly drive between the two emirates. In Abu Dhabi, the posted speed limit is the legal limit motorists must follow, with no additional grace-speed buffer.

Dubai, meanwhile, has traditionally used a radar-control speed above the posted road limit on many roads. The speed displayed on the road sign remains the official legal limit, but the radar may be configured to trigger at a higher speed, depending on the road.

Motorists travelling between Dubai and Abu Dhabi should therefore not assume that there is a speed buffer once they enter Abu Dhabi.

Where is the E311 speed limit now 100km/h?

According to the map published by Abu Dhabi Mobility, the revised limit covers a section of E311 between the At Turoush Street/Tawi Al Qaymah Street junctions and the Al Khayr Street interchange.

The affected stretch is flanked by Al Shamkhah to the north and Madinat Al Riyad and Baniyas Cemetery to the south. The 100km/h limit applies to traffic travelling towards both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Abu Dhabi has made several speed-limit changes

The latest E311 reduction follows several changes to speed limits on Abu Dhabi roads.

In April 2025, Abu Dhabi Mobility removed the 120km/h minimum speed limit on E311, allowing motorists to travel below the previous minimum. The maximum speed limit at the time remained 140km/h.

In October 2025, authorities introduced a variable speed-limit system on Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street, allowing limits to change according to conditions such as congestion, incidents, roadworks and weather.

In February 2026, the speed limit on sections of the Abu Dhabi–Al Ain Road (E22) was reduced from 160km/h to 140km/h and from 140km/h to 120km/h. The limit on Al Rawdah Road (E30) was also reduced from 120km/h to 100km/h.