Dubai road accident a tragic loss

The unfortunate mishap which claimed eight lives in Dubai sent a chill down my spine. It brought back memories of my escape from the jaws of death in India, when a minivan I was travelling in, swerved off the road and plunged into an open field. Though badly injured, I survived, but two of my fellow passengers lost their lives (Eight killed, six injured in Dubai accident,” Oct.1, Gulf Today).

Minibuses become unsteady at high speeds and with no emergency exits the damage is often fatal, should a mishap occur. And if cramped to capacity, there is absolutely no room for passengers to escape the brunt of the impact.

Sadly, despite stringent rules and adequate traffic measures in place, UAE has been witnessing a spate in road fatalities of late. There must be thousands of minibuses in operation in the country, because it is the most preferred mode of transport adopted by companies to transport workers from the workplace to their accommodations.

I have also seen minibuses in operation on long routes —from one emirate to another. I did risk taking a minibus once to travel to Dubai, because I was short of time. I say ‘risk’ because of my India experience. Though I reached safely, I didn’t feel quite ‘safe’. I am not in any way implying that such vehicles should be off the road, all I am saying is that this mode of transport needs more attention than say bus transport.

Time constraints play a big part and minibus drivers are tempted to speed to meet deadlines. A slight distraction could end up in a life and death situation. Driver fatigue is another area which needs attention. Unlike other public modes of transport the minivan sector doesn’t have adequate checks and balances in place, which heightens the risk parameters.

Zakir S Mustafa
By email