Lorry drivers across Egypt are bracing themselves for a wave of new regulations and drug tests following the deaths of 18 women and girls in a crash last week, an incident that has put the spotlight on the high rate of road accidents in the country.
While officials often point to narcotics use among drivers as a major factor, the drivers argue that they are being unfairly blamed for a crisis caused by poor road conditions, economic pressures and systemic neglect.
“We’re the ones who get the backlash every time something happens,” said Islam Awad, 39, a lorry driver who has been navigating Egypt’s highways for more than a decade. “But accidents will continue until the roads are fixed, no matter how many drug tests they run.”
The accident, which occurred near Ashmoun in Menoufia province on Friday, has sparked a national conversation about road safety and accountability. A lorry coming from the opposite direction crossed the central divider and slammed into a microbus carrying 21 female workers home from grape farms, a daily commute for the group. Eighteen of the passengers and the driver were killed.
The lorry driver, who turned himself in to authorities out of fear of reprisals from the victims’ families, said he lost control of his vehicle while attempting to avoid a rock in the middle of the road. The driver explained during questioning that the rock was impossible to see in time due to the narrow lanes and poor road conditions.
“I wasn’t speeding, and I wasn’t reckless,” he told investigators. “I was only driving 50kph, but the steering slipped out of my control. I didn’t mean for this to happen. My heart aches for the victims – I have daughters their age.”
Officials said tests showed he was under the influence of illegal drugs. The tragedy took place on the Regional Ring Road, a 365km motorway connecting Cairo to five provinces – Giza, Fayoum, Menoufia, Sharqia, and Qalyubia.
A 110km stretch of the road has been under repair since 2020, with one lane closed entirely, forcing two-way traffic into a single, poorly divided lane shared by lorries, buses, cars and microbuses. This is where the accident happened.
The Ministry of Transport has defended the repairs, saying that the asphalt road is being replaced with concrete to better withstand heavy traffic and Egypt's high temperatures. However, the project has faced criticism for its slow pace and dangerous detours. Drivers like Mr Awad, who navigate the road daily, describe it as a “death trap”.
If you hit a broken part of the road or even something as small as a rock, you need several metres to recover, which you don’t have. That’s why this road is so deadly
Islam Awad,
lorry driver
“Lorry drivers are forced to drive these narrow lanes, and there is very little room to manoeuvre,” he said. “Lorries are huge, and you’re often carrying loads of up to 10 tonnes. If you hit a broken part of the road or even something as small as a rock, you need several metres to recover, which you don’t have. That’s why this road is so deadly.”
The accident has reignited public anger over the quality of roads in Egypt after the government under President Abdel Fattah El Sisi spent billions of dollars on the national network. Social media users flooded platforms with demands for accountability, questioning why the ring road, completed in 2018 after a decade of construction, required such intense repairs just two years later.
This anger is particularly palpable in Menoufia, where several residents told The National that their warnings about the road’s dangers had been ignored for years. They said they had filed repeated complaints to the government about the number of accidents taking place on the road as a result of the repairs, to no avail.
“The only reason the government is causing such an uproar about the accident is because it is particularly tragic. Eighteen young girls and all from the same town, that is terrible. But many accidents, such as one that took place just last night near Mansoura, go ignored by the government,” said a Menoufia resident who asked to remain anonymous.
Families of the victims refused to allow the governor of Menoufia to attend the joint funeral for the 18 girls held in the city of Menouf. Videos of the families turning their backs to the governor and shouting at him to leave were widely circulated.
The Minister of Transport, Kamel El Wazir, visited the accident site on Sunday and promised that the ring road would be fully repaired in a project costing 50 billion Egyptian pounds ($1 billion). However, Mr El Wazir did not address the question of why such extensive repairs were needed so soon after the road’s completion, a question that has fuelled public frustration and scepticism.
Lorry drivers say they are being targeted unfairly by the government's decision to introduce random drug tests, among of measures to improve road safety. Both drivers interviewed for this article agreed that narcotics use is common among drivers, but they insisted that it is often a necessity rather than a choice.
“Everyone driving on roads all over the country is high – lorry drivers and sons of pashas alike,” said Abdo Ibrahim, 48. “But the focus of this accident shouldn’t be drugs. The focus should be the Regional Ring Road and how unsafe it is. Accidents happen all over the country, but I have never seen a road this deadly in my life.”
Mr Ibrahim said the physical demands of driving long distances with little rest often push drivers to rely on narcotics like tramadol to stay awake and cope with the pain. “It’s not just about getting high,” he said. “It’s about surviving the trip.”
Drug testing and another new measure, background checks of lorry drivers, will disproportionately harm them without addressing the root causes of road accidents, they say.
“Life has gotten so expensive lately, and for many of us, this is the only job we can do,” Mr Ibrahim said. “Now they’re going to make it even harder for us to survive.”
Lorry drivers are typically on the top rung of their career ladder, having obtained first-degree licences after years of experience. The process requires six years of professional driving, with drivers working their way up from smaller vehicles.
“The job isn’t easy, and most of us are experienced,” Mr Awad explained. “But no one listens to drivers when we say the roads are unsafe. This accident happened because of the road repairs, not the driver. The whole stretch from Cairo to Menoufia is under repair – it’s irrational.” He said it might have been more efficient to repair the road stretch by stretch to minimise the parts of it that are unsafe.
The Regional Ring Road has earned its grim nickname – “The Road of Death” – for good reason. According to state statistics, there have been 304 recorded accidents on the Regional Ring Road since mid-2022, resulting in 239 deaths.
The number of accidents has been increasing steadily, with 114 reported in 2024, compared to 76 accidents in 2023. There have already been 67 accidents this year.
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
'The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting up a Generation for Failure'
Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, Penguin Randomhouse
more from Janine di Giovanni
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Bawaal%20
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Volunteers offer workers a lifeline
Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.
When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.
Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.
Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.
“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.
Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.
“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
