UAE: Over 600 delivery riders attend special road safety workshops

More than 600 delivery riders have attended awareness workshops on road safety conducted by local authorities as part of the ‘Vision Zero’ strategy in Abu Dhabi.

The workshops have been aimed at reducing traffic accident fatalities to zero, said the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi.

Several awareness workshops held in the past months were attended by more than 600 delivery drivers and supervisors from major companies across the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

“The workshops aimed to enhance road safety, reduce motorcycle accidents, and to raise awareness of traffic safety requirements among motorcycle delivery drivers,” the ITC said.

According to last year’s official data, in 2019, 162 crashes involving riders took place, which rose to 170 in 2020 and reached 210 in 2021. The number of fatalities increased from nine in 2019 to 13 in 2020.

In November 2021, the Joint Committee for Traffic Safety launched a safety awareness campaign for delivery riders. The workshops have been led by the Department of Municipalities and Transport and included stakeholders like the Abu Dhabi Police, the Department of Health, and the ITC.

During the interactive workshops, the riders were educated about Abu Dhabi’s road and traffic safety requirements, procedures that must be followed while riding their motorcycles and ways to maintain their own safety and of others on the road.

They were told about the importance of wearing proper protective gear such as helmets, vests, and appropriate shoes, which play a major role in reducing the severity of injuries in case of accidents.

The ITC urged delivery companies, retailers, and restaurants that provide home delivery and other related services, to help raise awareness of traffic and road safety among their drivers.

“Informing drivers about relevant traffic laws and regulations and highlighting the necessity of their compliance with speed limits and road safety requirements,” the ITC told establishments in food delivery services, retailers and restaurants.

ALSO READ:

• UAE: Now, order food for the underprivileged through delivery app

• Abu Dhabi police caution taxi drivers, delivery riders about risks of reckless driving

Focus on traffic safety and creating awareness among delivery riders is important as the food delivery industry has seen rapid expansion in the emirate during the pandemic.

“Traffic safety is a shared responsibility that requires the relentless efforts of everyone to reduce traffic accidents and achieve the highest levels of road safety,” the ITC added.

• Abu Dhabi