The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has highlighted that its Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) system plays a vital role in making travel across Dubai smoother and safer. By showing real-time updates, the signs have helped decrease journey times by up to 20% on important road corridors and enhance safety by alerting drivers to accidents, congestion, and severe weather conditions.
RTA currently has 112 electronic signs placed throughout Dubai’s main road network. These are integrated into the sophisticated iTraffic platform at the Dubai Intelligent Traffic Systems Centre.
Commenting on the system, Salah Al Marzouqi, Director of Intelligent Traffic Systems at RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency, said: “The system significantly enhances road safety by generating sequential messages based on the location of an incident. It automatically creates consecutive alert zones at different distances, starting 2 kilometres before the incident site, followed by a congestion zone, and finally a guidance zone further away with lighter traffic, to redirect vehicles away from the accident site and reduce the risk of secondary collisions.”
Salah Al Marzouqi, added that dynamic message signs are among the most important real-time communication tools used to manage traffic diversions, guide motorists during major events, and support road safety awareness campaigns.
The RTA has also dedicated 22 signs to display travel times to key destinations such as Dubai International Airport and Dubai Marina, with data broadcast automatically around the clock to help drivers make better route decisions.
Sharing figures Salah Al Marzouqi said, "During the first half of 2025, a total of 17,819 messages were displayed through the DMS system. Accident-related messages topped the list with 12,283, followed by 1,038 warning messages, 984 congestion alerts, and 905 breakdown notifications. Additionally, 90 messages were issued for full road closures, along with 2,519 other alerts covering weather conditions, roadworks, and more. These figures highlight the system’s pivotal role in effectively responding to diverse operational scenarios.”
The DMS system helps in tracking traffic volume, speed, and weather conditions. The central iTraffic platform analyses this big data using artificial intelligence to develop immediate response plans, which are either approved by operators or automatically executed during emergencies such as fog or heavy rain.
This reflects RTA’s focus on using advanced technology to make roads safer and journeys smoother, supporting Dubai’s vision of a smart city where safety and efficiency come first.