Up to 150 drivers a month fired over signals

Taxis cross Khalidiya junction on a yellow in Abu Dhabi. Most drivers say they were slowing down when approaching a traffic junction. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // Up to 150 cabbies are fired each month for driving through red or amber lights, a manager at a taxi company says.

After rules came into force on January 1, scores of taxi drivers a month have lost their jobs, said the manager, who asked not to be identified.

The laws from TransAD, the taxi regulator, mean drivers for any of the six Abu Dhabi companies lose their permits if they enter a junction when the lights are not green.

“Once we receive a notice of the drivers’ violations we have to terminate their services,” the manager said.

Four of Bangladeshi driver Bitin Kumar’s colleagues have lost their jobs recently.

“They had crossed the yellow light and had to leave the country,” said Mr Kumar, 42.

But Upul Dodanduwanewar, 40, a taxi driver from Sri Lanka, said he would continue to cross amber lights to stop his cab being hit from behind by a speeding car, as happened recently.

“My life is important,” he said. “I have three young children back home in Sri Lanka.”

Road safety experts have warned all motorists about the dangers of accelerating while approaching junctions.

“Drivers should be aware that the amber light is not the end of the green light phase,” said Dino Kalivas, chairman of the driver education and training committee at the International Road Federation.

“It is the beginning of the red light phase and the traffic law states that drivers must stop on a yellow light unless it is unsafe to do so.

“Drivers should always observe the signals and anticipate and leave adequate time to stop safely.”

When entering junctions, even if they have right of way, drivers should also look left and right to avoid drivers who may have crossed the signal on the red.

They should also not immediately accelerate on the change from red to green, but wait one second to ensure motorists are not running a red light, Mr Kalivas said.

He said some drivers had the idea that they must beat the signal.

“This attitude is very irresponsible and also is a leading cause of drivers not respecting the traffic signals,” Mr Kalivas said.

“Drivers should always look well ahead, observe and try to anticipate when the traffic signals may change.

“Drivers can also slow down by applying the brakes lightly to warn drivers behind them they are slowing for the traffic signals.”

Other taxi drivers in Abu Dhabi say they are slowing down when approaching a traffic junction.

“I still want to continue working here as a taxi driver,” said Nawraj Shrestha, 48, an Emirates Taxi driver from Nepal. “I stop and don’t drive through a yellow light. Of course I don’t cross a red light.”

Mr Shrestha said that every month 10 to 15 cabbies from his company had their taxi permits cancelled, mainly for red light offences.

“We are trying to reach our daily target of Dh445 but we must always drive with caution and not exceed the speed limit,” said a Bangladeshi driver, 44.

Nabraj Nepali, 32, who works for National Taxi, said he normally slowed down when he came across a blinking green light.

“But some people are driving so fast so we need to check our rear-view mirrors to avoid a collision,” Mr Nepali said.

Thirlal Bhattarai, 33, an Arabia Taxi driver said: “If I cross a yellow light, the traffic signal in the other direction will open. I also want to save my job.”

“We are all here to earn money. No one wants to pay a fine and lose his job so we have to follow the rules,” said Phurpa Lama Sarklama, 26, a driver with Al Ghazal.

The taxi company manager said his firm did all it could for its drivers.

“We are trying to support our drivers by providing them with refresher training that highlights respect for laws, safe driving and TransAD regulations,” he said.

TransAD did not respond to a request for comment.