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Trailer registration to ensure safety: RTA

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) inspectors and examiners of trailers found that serious tyre defects, body cracks, defects in connections between the tractor and trailer, defects in the air pressure connections of the brake systems, and poor side and rear lighting of trailers have the potential of causing accidents.

This was stated by Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman and Executive Director of RTA, following six months’ successful experience of registration of trailers and semi-trailers instituted last February, with 1,684 trailers registered and 2,259 chassis numbered till July.

Al Tayer added that the number is expected to rise to 3,700 trailers by the end of this year, noting that the estimated number of trailers in Dubai exceeded 60,000.

“Trailers have been classified into 15 types most notably flatbed trailers, surface trailers, side-curtain trailers, container trailers, tanker trailers, passenger transport trailers, and petroleum products transport trailers among others. Trailers testing and registration service is currently available at three centres, namely Enoc, Tamam Al Ghandi, and Al Shirawi Centre,” said Al Tayer.

He said that trailers and semi-trailers registration service is part of RTA efforts and commitment to ensure the safety of road users, safeguard the rights of owners of these trailers, and verify that security and traffic safety stipulations are well adhered to in all trailers plying the streets of the UAE, often triggering accidents resulting in huge loss of lives and properties.

“In view of the lacking registration of trailers in the past, many trailer-related accidents used to be registered as accidents caused by ordinary vehicles, without mentioning trailers. The situation contributed to stealing of trailers and rendered it extremely difficult to establish the rights of the affected parties due to the lacking proof of ownership or identity of trailers. Moreover, all trailers produced locally bear no Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) on their chassis,” Al Tayer added.

He said that the new system catered to the testing and registration of trailers and semi-trailers in line with sound technical specifications and standards that address the security and traffic safety aspects.

“The RTA has already coordinated with the Ministry of Interior prior to the implementation of the trailers testing and licencing system. Consideration is now given to implementing the system at the federal level, and coordination is underway with several government departments and agencies in the emirate of Dubai, such as Dubai Municipality, and Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, to urge truck owners to take the initiative of registering their trailers in the system,” said Al Tayer.

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