T + T – Normal size
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Police General Headquarters have launched a joint patrol initiative to monitor heavy vehicles in the Emirate of Dubai. The launch of these patrols comes as part of the joint efforts to intensify monitoring operations and inspection campaigns and expand the scope of coverage in the emirate to include 6 main roads: Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Al Khail Road, Ras Al Khor Road, Al Maktoum Airport Road, and Dubai Al Ain Road..
Major General Abdullah Ali Al Ghaithi, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Operations Affairs, explained that the launch of joint patrols to monitor heavy vehicles on important roads across the Emirate of Dubai comes within the framework of the ongoing efforts between Dubai Police and the Roads and Transport Authority to implement the five-year executive plan for the traffic safety strategy, which includes four main axes: traffic control and regulation, road and vehicle engineering, traffic awareness, and the systems and management development axis..
He stressed that the joint patrols to monitor heavy vehicles will contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the highest levels of traffic safety, and enhancing compliance with the traffic law, in addition to commitment to mechanical maintenance of these vehicles, due to their important role in controlling and controlling their movement, and preventing accidents that may have dire consequences for road users..
Major General Al Ghaithi stressed the great responsibility that falls on vehicle drivers in general and heavy vehicles in particular to adhere to traffic laws to ensure public safety, calling on heavy vehicle drivers to adhere to legal speeds on various streets and to maintain a safe distance, conduct periodic vehicle inspections, take the necessary rest periods during long distances, avoid being distracted by anything other than the road, and check the validity and safety of tires..
Major General Al Ghaithi praised the strategic partnership and distinguished relationship between Dubai Police and the Roads and Transport Authority, which contributed to raising the level of coordination and joint work, and achieving the objectives of the Dubai Traffic Safety Strategy, in reducing traffic accident deaths..
Hussain Al Banna, CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority, said that the Authority and Dubai Police are working to monitor and seize heavy vehicles on external roads, and to inspect vehicles from a technical standpoint and to ensure the safety of heavy vehicles and their readiness to drive on external roads. In the event that violations are detected that affect the safety of heavy vehicles and the safety of the road and its users, violations will be issued by police personnel. The inspection includes monitoring technical faults and violations, including: (tire safety, availability of safety equipment, effectiveness of lights, excessive load, or protruding load, and driving without a license and permit)..
Al Banna said: “The launch of joint patrols to monitor heavy vehicles is the result of the efforts and close cooperation between the Authority and Dubai Police to achieve the objectives of the traffic safety strategy in the emirate and the goals of the Roads and Transport Authority by enhancing traffic control of heavy vehicle owners who commit violations to reduce them. The Authority is keen to implement the traffic safety axis and achieve its vision of (zero deaths) to make Dubai the best in the world in the field of traffic safety. He pointed out that the rate of traffic accident deaths decreased by 93% during the period from 2007 to 2023..
Al Banna added: “The launch of joint patrols to monitor heavy vehicles serves the regulatory efforts and joint work between the Authority and Dubai Police in enhancing the traffic safety strategy, reducing the rate of accidents resulting from truck traffic, and spreading traffic awareness among truck drivers about traffic rules, in order to achieve the highest levels of security and safety in all means of public and individual transportation, and for all road users in the Emirate of Dubai.”.
Al Banna stressed the Authority’s efforts to enhance the competitiveness of the land logistics sector, as Dubai is a major logistics hub for shipping and distribution in the region, with a total of 73,861 registered heavy vehicles. From this standpoint, the Authority is keen to enhance business practices, simplify regulations and requirements, upgrade the fleet to zero-emission vehicles, and improve driver behavior and vehicle performance by raising the efficiency and safety of the sector’s operational processes, supporting small and medium enterprises, providing affordable technologies to the sector, and raising the sector’s readiness to adopt modern technologies for future means of transportation more quickly..
It is worth noting that the Authority has recently completed 10 truck rest stops out of a total of 16, which are being implemented in partnership with ADNOC. They are distributed across six vital locations, strategic streets and logistical areas that attract a large number of trucks on a daily basis, namely: Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai-Al Ain Road, Jebel Ali-Lehbab Road, and Al Awir Road..
The area of each rest house ranges between 5,000 and 10,000 square metres, and the capacity of each rest house ranges between 30 and 45 trucks and heavy vehicles. The rest houses include service facilities, prayer rooms, fuel stations (diesel), and areas for drivers to rest.
