Transport officials target worn tyres

DUBAI // Transport officials, police and municipality authorities have begun a campaign to instruct lorry drivers about the dangers of travelling on bald or damaged tyres, which is causing accidents on the city's roads and highways. Continuing to drive on tyres that do not meet safety specifications can cause structural failures or loss of road grip. Inspectors who set up shop at Dubai's main vegetable and fruit market in the Aweer area used a depth gauge to show drivers when the thickness of tyre treading was dangerously low. "These tyres are damaged, expired. They are dangerous and must be changed immediately," Jovener Rosales, a licensing agency official, pointed out to a group of lorry drivers from Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. "Most of the accidents are because of tyre bursts. Big trucks lose control, overturn and hit small vehicles nearby. People can die instantly. I have seen it happen." Police and transport officials are reminding drivers to be vigilant about changing and monitoring their tyres, particularly during the summer, when they pull lorries aside for spot checks. The problem is all the more acute as more than 40,000 heavy vehicles come into Dubai daily. Officials said burst tyres found on Dubai's roads are an indication of the problem faced by motorists. "Especially in the summer months, when it is so hot, the tyres can expand and explode if they are not constantly checked," said Ahlam Abdul Al Feel, the director of the Roads and Transport Authority monitoring wing. [e-mail]