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29 March 2024

First highway truck rest stop opens in Dubai

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By Staff

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has opened the first highway trucks parking facility as part of its traffic safety strategy aimed at boosting traffic safety and streamlining the movement of trucks.

The opening has been announced less than a month after 15 construction workers travelling to their worksite died after the bus in which they were travelling crashed into a truck parked on the hard shoulder on Al Ain highway at the junction of Emirates Road in Dubai.

Driver fatigue and overspeeding have been reasons behind a number of fatal crashes in the country, and experts have been urging such rest stops for a while now.

Detailing the opening of the truck rest stops, Maitha bin Udai, CEO of RTA Traffic & Roads Agency, said: “The opening of the first trucks stops is part of the traffic safety plan set for highways; the implementation of which started at the end of last year and continues up to 2016 encompassing the construction of several truck stops/restrooms.”



As part of its traffic safety strategy, the RTA has endorsed the design and construction of 24 parking facilities for trucks spreading over the Emirates Road, and the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. Each truck stop is capable of accommodating 30 trucks with the aim of providing a venue for parking trucks in a safe manner before the onset of the trucks prohibited movement timing.

After last month’s accident, the truck driver told cops that he had parked his truck on the hard shoulder after the brakes of his vehicle had developed problems. According to Dubai Police sources, both the bus and the truck drivers had then been detained for questioning.

According to RTA’s bin Udai, “the first trucks parking now opened is situated on the Emirates Road in the direction of Sharjah about 5 km before the exit to Al Ain, and the remaining trucks parking facilities will be opened on the Emirates Road and the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road during the next two years.”

RTA said the truck stops are part of their overall solution to ensure safety of heavy vehicles. “Apart from the stops which are currently being constructed, the RTA has completed the design of integrated rest rooms equipped with security personnel and guards around the clock. The facilities also include various appurtenances and services that meet the needs of drivers and workers such as hotel rooms, petrol stations, medical clinic, shops and maintenance services,” she noted.

“The first rest house is located at the intersection of the Emirates Road with Trucks Road, the second is located in both directions of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road near Dubai International City, and the third is located at Jebel Ali – Lihbab Road,” added bin Udai.

She reiterated RTA’s keen attention on ensuring the safety of road users, providing all safety and security precautions in internal and external roads to the highest international standards and specifications. “All procedures and engineering projects will not be enough to stop traffic accidents and ensuing deaths unless all motorists and road users adhere to safety rules and avoid the traffic accident triggers. As human errors account for about 85 per cent of traffic accidents, concerted efforts of all public and private institutions are needed to raise the awareness of road users, particularly drivers of trucks and buses.”

Bin Udai also called upon all drivers to abide by the traffic safety rules and refrain from violating traffic laws.