Driving in Dubai: Experts share the skills that matter most
Be alert and take proactive decisions to stay safe, say experts from Excellence Driving
From reading the road several cars ahead to resisting the urge to react when another driver cuts in, experts say safe driving in Dubai is built on a combination of observation, judgement and self-control.
Driving in the UAE can change character quickly. A calm residential street can feed into a busy junction, a multilane highway or dense rush-hour traffic within minutes. In that scenario, simply knowing how to operate a car is not enough.
Drivers need to read what is happening around them, anticipate what could happen next and make the right decision before a situation becomes urgent, says Khalid Javaid, Director of Operations at Excellence Driving, which was awarded the No.1 Driving School in Dubai title by Roads and Transport Authority in 2025.
Five skills that matter
According to Javaid, there are five core skills that every motorist should develop: observation, anticipation, planning and decision-making, maintaining appropriate speed and vehicle control, and emotional control.
Effective observation and scanning are very important on the roads. That means continuously looking around the vehicle and identifying potential hazards and mistakes made by other drivers.
Anticipation takes that awareness further: understanding what another driver, rider or pedestrian might do next and preparing for it before it happens.
Planning and decision-making complete the picture by giving drivers time to act early rather than relying on sudden braking, sharp steering or last-second lane changes.
He emphasizes that speed control is not just about staying within the legal limit. It means choosing a speed that suits the road, traffic and weather while remaining fully in control of the vehicle.
Then there is a skill that receives far less attention than mirrors, manoeuvres and markings: emotional control.
Dubai’s roads can test patience. A sudden lane change, an impatient driver or a missed signal can cause irritation. But Javaid argues that how a motorist responds can be just as important as how well they handle the car.
“We should always remind ourselves that our safety is ultimately in our own hands,” he says.
Thomas Edelmann (right), Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE, puts the same principle in more humane terms. He believes that if a driver could only improve one habit, it should be to develop “a caring attitude towards themselves, their passengers and all other road users around them”.
That may sound simple, but it can influence dozens of decisions on every journey, whether to force a gap, follow another vehicle too closely or respond aggressively to someone else’s mistake.
Lane changing: the skill that tests everything at once
On a multilane road, a lane change can look like one simple movement.
In reality, it requires several decisions to happen almost at once.
“Safe lane changing on multilane roads is one of the skills that often takes the longest to master,” says Javaid.
“It requires the motorist to combine effective mirror scanning, blind-spot check, speed management, judgement and appropriate timing while also anticipating the behaviour of surrounding traffic.”
That combination explains why lane changes can become one of the most demanding everyday driving skills.
Common mistakes include relying only on mirrors, failing to check blind spots, signalling too late, and moving across too quickly or attempting to enter a gap that is simply too small.Khalid Javaid, Director of Operations at Excellence Driving
The safest drivers do not see an empty space and immediately move into it. They assess how quickly surrounding vehicles are travelling and whether the gap will still be safe by the time they reach it.
Good lane discipline starts before the junction
Motorists can get into trouble when they focus only on the traffic immediately around them instead of looking further down the road, says Javaid.
This becomes especially important at multilane junctions, roundabouts and complex intersections.
“Good lane discipline starts with early observation, understanding road signs and markings, selecting the correct lane in good time, and maintaining it unless a safe and necessary change is required,” he explains.
Navigating heavy traffic
The same principle applies in heavy traffic. Frequent lane switching can feel like progress, but it may save little time while increasing risk.
In congested conditions, Javaid recommends maintaining a safe following distance, anticipating braking and lane changes, and keeping vehicle movements smooth and predictable.
Sometimes the safest way to move faster is not to rush.
How to merge without losing momentum
Merging on to a high-speed road is another moment where hesitation can create its own problem.
“A common mistake is to slow down unnecessarily at the end of the acceleration lane,” he says.
That can leave a driver trying to enter fast-moving traffic at a much lower speed, making the manoeuvre harder rather than safer.
The better approach is to observe early, identify a suitable gap and adjust speed progressively so the vehicle can join the traffic flow smoothly.
It is also a useful example of the difference between confidence and recklessness.
A hesitant driver may delay too long. An overconfident one may force a gap that is not there. Safe driving sits somewhere between the two.
When confidence goes too far
Confidence matters because drivers need to make timely decisions.
But Javaid warns that experience can become a liability when motorists begin to believe they are less vulnerable to risk.
Overconfidence may show itself through speeding for the conditions, tailgating, taking unnecessarily small gaps or assuming that other road users will behave exactly as expected.
“A good driver should be confident enough to make safe decisions, but humble and courteous enough to respect the other road users,” he says.
Dealing with aggressive drivers
Few situations test emotional control more than encountering an aggressive or unpredictable motorist.
The instinct to respond, block or prove a point can be strong. Javaid’s advice is the opposite: “The safest response is to remain calm, keep safe separation distance and avoid confrontation.”
Drivers should not race, retaliate or challenge another motorist. Where possible, allowing the aggressive vehicle to move away creates distance and reduces the risk of escalation.
“You cannot control their behaviour, but by maintaining good emotional intelligence, you can remain calm and rise above the situation,” Javaid says.
The road is not the place to win an argument.
Common mistakes new drivers make
According to 2025 Ministry of Interior data cited by RoadSafetyUAE, new licence holders were behind the wheel in 15 per cent of major accidents, up from 11 per cent in 2024.
Javaid says difficulty in anticipating the action of other road users is a frequent problem for new drivers. Distraction, not maintaining a safe distance, and relying too heavily on navigation systems add to the risk.
That’s why learning how to drive carries significance beyond the test itself, says Dheer Sharma, Director Sales and Marketing at Excellence Driving.
The safest driver is not the one who reacts fastest, but the one who stays calm, anticipates what may happen next and remains in control. At Excellence Driving, we believe every journey should begin with that mindset.
In association with Excellence Driving
