TABUK, 18 January 2006 — Gas tankers have become time bombs on our streets; they could explode at any time causing massive loss of both lives and property, according to an article in Al-Riyadh newspaper.
The tankers are often driven by careless drivers who show little responsibility for what their truck is carrying. They seem concerned only with getting the cargo to the gas station and emptying it as soon as possible.
Hazaa, a witness to an accident with a gas tanker, said that he and his family were endangered by a careless driver. “The driver began emptying his truck in the afternoon at the hottest time of the day. He knows very well that he should not do that but he ignored all the safety rules and regulations. As a result, a huge fire started and had it not been for a quick response from the fire department, the nearby area would have been damaged with possibly a large loss of life as well.”
The blame, according to Hazaa, lies with the driver and the owner of the gas station. Both should be aware of basic safety practices and should follow them. “I am not saying that we should close down gas stations or ban gas trucks from doing their jobs but there needs to be some monitoring from the authorities in order to make sure that these trucks do not become bombs,” he said.
Eid Al-Balawi suggested that gas trucks enter residential neighborhoods only under direct supervision by the police or fire department. He said that neither gas station employees nor the tanker drivers were trained to deal with disasters.
“The tanker drivers should not be allowed to drive until they have been fully trained on how to drive these trucks and understand the enormous responsibility,” said Al-Balawi. “Plenty of experience should be required of the tanker drivers. I think the job should be limited to Saudis only.”
Muhammad Al-Sulaie once stopped a tanker whose driver was speeding. He found the driver to be a foreigner with very little experience. He said that the driver had little experience and he wondered how such a man could be trusted with such a potentially dangerous cargo.
“We all remember the policeman in Tabuk who died driving a burning gas tanker away from a residential area,” said Al-Sulaie. “These trucks are a bomb, just waiting to go off if the driver is not experienced. The best way to prevent problems is by training the drivers and then strictly monitoring them. We have seen many times how recklessly many drivers drive these trucks and how they thoughtlessly place many innocent lives in great danger,” he said.
