Truck drivers cause 15 deaths in Dubai in H1

dubai — A total of 15 people died in 14 traffic accidents involving heavy trucks during the first half of 2017 on Dubai roads. Most of the accidents were caused due to violations committed on the part of the truck drivers.

Colonel Essam Al Awar, director of traffic services at the Dubai Police, noted that the number of fatalities in heavy truck accidents has reduced compared to last year, which saw 49 people killed in 40 accidents.

However, the number of violations made by truck drivers has gone up in 2017, totalling 30,664 in the first half of this year compared to 24,255 violations in the same period in 2016.

The most common violations included plying of heavy trucks marked unfit for driving, and the use of expired or invalid tyres. The police also issued 2,200 violations for parking on hard shoulders and confiscated 900 trucks for committing serious violations.

He added that the police received 467 complaints against heavy truck drivers through the new Dubai Police smart app service ‘We Are All Police’. The force also withdrew 17 truck drivers’ licences in the first of 2017, compared to 25 licences revoked in the same period of 2016.

As far as drivers’ nationalities are concerned, Col Al Awar noted that most accidents were caused by Pakistanis, followed by Indian drivers, with both nationalities making up the majority of truck drivers here. Pakistani nationals have caused 42 truck accidents so far in 2017, and Indians were responsible for 30.

In Dubai, a total of 66,846 heavy trucks are registered under 6,100 persons.

The police, in coordination with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), is carrying out awareness campaigns to educate the drivers about the importance of sticking to road lanes, against entering prohibited areas and parking in unauthorised places.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com