Dubai: There were 35 accidents recorded by Dubai Police in the first 15 days of Ramadan, as compared with 83 in same period last year.
Colonel Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Director of Dubai Traffic Police, said that there were six deaths and 35 injuries in the first 15 days of Ramadanthis year, compared with seven deaths and 70 injuries in 2014.
These statistics do not include minor accidents.
This Ramadan, of the 35 injured, 14 were injured severely, six sustained moderate injuries and 15 sustained minor injuries. Of the 35 accidents, 19 occurred in the morning and 16 in the evening.
Of the 70 people injured in the first 15 days of Ramadan last year, seven were seriously injured, 39 were moderately injured and 24 sustained minor injuries.
Col Al Mazroui added that, however, in June this year there were more traffic fatalities than in 2014. He said that most accidents — in June and in Ramadan — involved trucks, a problem he said still persists.
“Truck drivers are still being overworked and companies continue to neglect their vehicles’ maintenance. We have been having the same issue for the past five years and we have been speaking to companies to no avail,” he said.
He said that they are looking into working with other entities, such as the Roads and Transports Authority, the Ministry of Labour and the Department of Economic Development to come up with a solution and to also hold company owners responsible for the problem.
“We have had truck drivers come to us and show us the bad condition of their trucks because their bosses do not give them money to maintain the vehicles. In these cases we summon the vehicle or company owner and make them sign an undertaking that they will fix the vehicles.” Col Al Mazroui said.
Drivers, he said, take all the responsibility when an accident happens and this should change, because it is not always 100 per cent their fault. “One driver told us his boss threatened to fire him if he did not drive the vehicle, which was in a bad condition, and do his job.”
The most common problems Dubai Police find in trucks are they are often not maintained, causing them to have problems with the brakes, among other issues, and also worn out tyres.
“Drivers are also forced to work long hours and do not get enough sleep, which only adds to the problem,” Col Al Mazroui said.
