Egypt arrests nearly 50 drivers for drug use in clampdown after deadly crashes

Authorities uncover hundreds of violations as road safety concerns grow

Rush hour traffic in Cairo. EPA

Egyptian authorities arrested 48 drivers for drug use during a nationwide clampdown aimed at improving road safety, particularly on the Regional Ring Road, commonly referred to as the "Road of Death."

The arrests were part of a sweeping 24-hour campaign by the Interior Ministry, which tested 355 drivers for narcotics and uncovered multiple violations, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The campaign comes in response to nationwide outrage over a series of deadly accidents on the Regional Ring Road, which connects six provinces and has become notorious for its high accident rate. The road has been made unsafe by poorly managed repair work, currently being carried out by the state, that forces two-way traffic into a single lane on a 110-kilometre stretch of the road.

The crackdown also resulted in 744 traffic violations on the Regional Ring Road alone, including driving against traffic, overloading passengers, and failing to meet licensing requirements. In addition to the 48 drivers arrested for illegal drugs, 36 individuals wanted for a total of 136 court judgments were detained, and seven vehicles were impounded for serious violations, the ministry said. It promised to continue the crackdown.

Egypt Health Ministry official visits citizens injured in a car crash. Ministry of Health

On Sunday morning, another crash occurred on the Regional Ring Road near the village of Al-Naamana in Sharqia province. The incident involved the collision of a bus carrying 26 passengers, a lorry, and two microbuses.

The crash caused damage to the vehicles but no injuries or fatalities were recorded, according to the Sharqia Security Directorate. Police detained the drivers involved and launched an investigation. While no lives were lost in Sunday’s crash, it has reignited concerns about the road’s safety.

On Saturday evening, nine people died and 11 were injured in a head-on collision between two minibuses on the road. On June 26, 19 people, including 18 teenage girls, were killed when a lorry crossed into oncoming traffic and crushed their minibus in Menoufia province.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has ordered the temporary closure of all repair zones on the Regional Ring Road and instructed authorities to make safe detours available. In a statement following Saturday’s crash, he called for stricter enforcement of traffic laws, including oversight of lorry drivers and expanded drug testing.