Saturday, May 17, 2014
Dubai - Fatigue due to long hours of driving and lack of rest is among the major causes of accidents, says a top official at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
“Fatigue is one of the major contributor’s to accidents. This is explained and discussed in the classroom lesson two, Driver’s Condition,” said Hussain Al Saffar, director, drivers training and aualifications.
He added that medication, using phone while driving and getting swayed by emotions like show-off, impatience and anger also play a major part in the behavior of the driver that may lead to accidents.
Apart from creating awareness about driver fatigue that could lead to fatal accidents, RTA curriculum, says Al Saffar, trains the candidates on assessing different conditions of a driver that could lead to traffic accidents.
“In theory lesson seven, we cover the topic of risk forecast training, they will identify hazards on various dangerous driving scenarios. After which, we list counter measures to prevent a possible accident,” he explained.
Another lesson, informed Al Saffar, analyses traffic accident case studies and find ways on how to prevent them in future.
According to RTA guidelines for heavy vehicle drivers, a driver shouldn’t drive for more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period.
The guidelines also stipulate that drivers should take regular breaks after every 3-4 hours.
However, there is no law to enforce or regulate heavy vehicle driving hours apart from what the labour law stipulates.
Neither any particular authority nor department has taken the responsibility to monitor driver working hours.
Heavy pressures with heavy vehicles
Truck companies should provide their drivers with a comfortable environment to ensure their safety and safety of others road users, said Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Bin Darwish, head of the Patrol Department of Sharjah Police.
Sometimes, truck drivers exhibit an aggressive driving attitude, which results from psychological and financial pressures they suffer from, said Bin Darwish.
Dealing with heavy vehicles and heavy materials is not easy and the strain is sometimes reflected on the behaviour of the driver, he said.
Also the fact that they need to drive over long distances - 100 or 200 kms or more - and deliver the goods on time pushes them to sometimes speed, and not take any stops, said Bin Darwish said
Heavy vehicles, he said, should drive at a speed of 80K/H and sometimes, this speed limit can put pressure on their delivery times. He aslo pointed out that a number of truck drivers have been found to be consuming medicines to give them extra energy to complete their tasks. Other issues that can affect their working day is a change in weather, which may slow them down. Bin Darwish urges truck companies to be more flexible in their outlook and allow their drivers have defined rest periods in their working hours. “Truck drivers should be able to take rest if exhausted,” he said.
“We don’t know what is the maximum number of working hours for heavy vehicle drivers, but mostly we work 15 to 16 hours per day. We take short breaks but we don’t have regular weekly breaks. We work under tight schedules as we have to deliver goods on time. Obviously, there is an issue of fatigue, but there is no choice,” said Ahmad Hussain, a heavy vehicle driver.
A manager at a transport firm blamed it on drivers, who work longer hours to earn more.
“Most drivers get their wages per every trip they make, so in their keenness to reach their destinations faster and make more money, they drive longer hours, which can sometimes prove fatal. As a transport firm, we don’t pressure drivers to work longer hours,” said a leading transport company official on conditions of anonymity.
Whatever be the case, it’s high time that long-haul transport sector is closely monitored by authorities to ensure no driver overworks and poses a danger to road users.
By Shafaat Shahbandari and Aghaddir Ali Staff Reporters
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.