Taxi driver’s kip leads to car jumping over kerb

Mahmoud Mohsen, Staff Reporter

A taxi veered off course after its Asian driver fell into a nap. The car jumped over a kerb on Sharjah’s Khalid Corniche, resulting in moderate injuries to the driver, who was hospitalised.

A report was received at the Operations Room at Sharjah Police General Headquarters at 5am on Saturday.

Traffic patrols and national ambulance were consequently rushed to the scene.

It turned out that the Asian taxi driver fell into a nap while driving but there were no passengers in the vehicle.  The accident caused material damage to the vehicle, as a result of a collision with a signboard and a garbage container.

Recently, the Dubai Police General HQ launched a rewards campaign encouraging motorists to drive more safely to reduce accident rates across the emirate.

The police force invited motorists to log on to their official website to sign a pledge letter in which the driver promises to drive more carefully as part of the road safety initiative dubbed “A Day Without Accidents”.

Announcing the official launch of the campaign for the second consecutive year, Colonel Jumaa Salim Bin Suwaidan, Director of Dubai Traffic Police, said the awareness campaign aims to have a city without traffic accidents or deaths on the roads.

“It is important to educate the drivers and encourage them to follow the speed limits and not to drive if they feel tired. We are close to the start of the new school year, and we are looking to have zero accidents, especially in the first week of school. We want to educate the drivers by making them sign the obligation letter and then honour the ones who keep their promises,” he added.

The Director of the Dubai Traffic Police said the first week of the school year usually witnesses traffic accidents, as it is a busy time and parents drive their children to schools.” Drivers should pay attention to the stop signs on school buses as there is a Dhs1,000 fine and 10 black points for drivers who do not stop when the bus sign is on. We want to have the first day of the school year free of accidents and deaths,” Colonel Bin Suwaidan said.