DUBAI // Professional drivers may have to undergo mandatory medical examinations to gain or renew their licences, according to the Roads and Transport Authority.
A study into the viability of the idea is being conducted by the RTA in co-operation with the Ministry of Interior and the Dubai Health Authority.
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If the results of the study are positive, the RTA aims to make health certificates a requirement for the issuing of commercial drivers' licences.
"We're in the process of studying it and, as a starting point for our first stage, we have proposed targeting professional drivers," said Ahmed Bahrouzyan, the CEO of the licensing department at the RTA.
He said professional drivers included those who operate taxis, buses and lorries for a living. The category could also be extended to include commercial drivers hired by private companies.
The compulsory medical examination would be carried out to identify chronic conditions that could affect the operation of a vehicle.
Mr Bahrouzyan described the idea as a preventive safety measure to ensure no professional driver had an illness that could put the lives of his passengers at risk.
"If a driver is carrying 100 workers and has low blood sugar, it would definitely cause a problem," he said.
At a later stage, the health certificate may also be required for elderly drivers who want to renew their licence or apply for a new licence.
But Mr Bahrouzyan said the age at which a driver would be considered elderly had not been decided.
A date for implementation of mandatory health tests has not been set, but the RTA hopes to start by the end of this year.
There are no plans to ask drivers in other licence categories to undergo medical tests.
aalhaddad@thenational.ae
Brief scores:
Juventus 3
Dybala 6', Bonucci 17', Ronaldo 63'
Frosinone 0
Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
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A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Section 375
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat
Director: Ajay Bahl
Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL
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Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
