Dubai: Motorists said bus and truck drivers should be extra cautious on the road as they are responsible for their passengers’ safety and the potential for accident damage is higher due to their vehicles’ large size.
Their comments come after 13 workers were killed when their bus hit a truck on Dubai’s Emirates Road on May 10.
Ansar Mahmoud Rehmat Khan, 50, a recovery operator for heavy wreckers, told Gulf News he sees coasters and minibuses speeding on highways daily.
“That’s because they’re doing five to six trips a day,” said Khan, who has been driving in the UAE for 28 years.
“Drivers tell me their bosses half the time force them to finish the pick-up and drop-offs to [meet their quota despite the traffic situation].”
But speeding isn’t the only problem.
“It’s also overloading. Plus, many trucks and buses are also poorly maintained and are repaired in cheap places where some install [fake parts].”
Boogie Canoy, a driver of 14 years, said many heavy vehicles change lanes without caring about other motorists. But what he won’t forget is his fast lane experience en route to Abu Dhabi.
“The driver of the Elf truck stepped on the brake all of a sudden. He did it twice deliberately to piss me off. I overtook him and pretended to call police because what he did was dangerous. He immediately apologised.”
British motorist Mohammad Omar, 38, added: “I can understand bus drivers are under pressure, they have to deliver on time. But many lives are riding on their watch. They can’t afford to loose their temper – one rash decision can spell disaster.”
Omar also said lorry or bus drivers should try to ensure they get proper sleep off duty as “many accidents happen when the driver dozes off behind the wheel.”
Ali Rashid, a 34-year-old Emirati, said he “can’t understand how some minivans speed with passengers on board. You’re putting not only your life at risk, but the lives of many other people as well. As the saying goes, ‘better late than never’. Nothing is worth the danger from speeding, not even keeping your job.”
