Dubai: A total of 15 people died in accidents involving heavy vehicles in the first half of 2017, Dubai Police said on Sunday.
The last six months has seen 14 truck accidents on the road and more than 30,000 fines issued to heavy vehicle drivers who violated traffic rules, said Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Director of Traffic Department in Dubai police
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Brig Al Mazroui said Indian and Pakistani drivers were mostly responsible for causing those accidents on the road in the last three years.
“Dubai Police issued 30,664 fines to heavy vehicles in the first half of this year,” he said. “Also, the last three years have witnessed 42 accidents caused by Pakistani drivers and 30 accidents caused by Indian drivers,” he said.
In a recent awareness campaign held by Dubai Police, more than 200 truck drivers attended workshops aimed at educating them on the new traffic law introduced on July 1 and the stricter rules that have been added to it.
Brig Al Mazroui said the workshops held in collaboration with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) explained some of the most important traffic violations that can cause risks on the road, such as brake failures and absence of brake lights, lack of safety locks in the vehicle, in addition to the risks associated with worn tyres.
“The main aim of the campaign is to spread a culture of awareness on the traffic rules to truck drivers. This in return would help in reducing the number of accidents caused by heavy vehicles. It was important to introduce truck drivers to the new laws and regulations,” he said.
He also said that the campaign will be implemented in three phases. “The first phase targets heavy vehicle drivers stationed in rest areas, like the one at the vegetable market, Al Muhaisnah area, Al Khawaneej area and other rest areas on the outer streets,” he said.
He added that the second phase will target drivers in registration areas of the RTA, “while the final phase will include drivers that have violated the new traffic rules and those who are not committed to the designated routes and sign boards.”
