Abu Dhabi Police, in association with Abu Dhabi Ports, Al Masaood, and Bridgestone, have organized Eyes on the Road Program at Khalifa Port to give free health checkups to truckers and educate them on the traffic rules. While talking to media, Captain Ahmad Abdullah Al Muhairi from the General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police said that most of the truck-related accidents occur due to drivers using mobile phones while driving.
“Last year, about 85 people, including truck drivers died in accidents only involving heavy-duty trucks in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, but the numbers have gone down compared to previous years,” said Al Muhairi.
“At Abu Dhabi Police, we have discovered that about 90 percent of road accidents happen due to people talking on the phone while driving,” he added. “Sometimes the truckers remain unhurt, but others who drive smaller vehicles die in collisions with heavy trucks, so truck drivers need to exercise high caution while driving and protect their lives and lives of other road users, and follow road traffic rules.”
At the sidelines of Eyes on the Road Program, Al Muhairi also highlighted that they have arranged over 200 meetings with truck drivers this year and taught more than 7,000 drivers on road safety. He also told that while passenger car drivers have to pay the fine of their violation straight away, we advise truckers before they pay their charges. Truckers who are found using a phone behind the wheels are penalized with Dh800 fine and six black points.
Al Muhairi also talked about the trucker’s overall health, their vision, and the regular changing of tires.
“These drivers have come to the UAE to raise money for their families back home, and they must be watchful for their own lives and the lives of others as well. If the breadwinner happens to crash his truck, he will be hospitalized and may die in horrific crashes, so who will support their families and children?” he added.
Source and Images: GulfNews