A safety campaign by online food delivery company Talabat will reward motorbike couriers with the best safety records in an attempt to reduce accidents involving its riders.
To qualify for a monetary reward, Talabat delivery riders must have no fines and not be involved in a minor or major accident during the previous three months. Talabat will also host an event to publicly recognise the best riders in their fleet.
Talabat, one of the fastest-growing food delivery networks in the region, will stage a road safety week from March 28 to improve riders' knowledge of UAE traffic laws and how to stay safe. The plan is for safety weeks to be held several times a year.
We are also rewarding riders who adhere to traffic rules to encourage positive behaviour
Tatiana Rahal,
Talabat UAE
The safety awareness campaign will extend to the public to remind motorists about the importance of being mindful of smaller vehicles on the road.
“Road safety starts with all of us,” said Tatiana Rahal, managing director at Talabat UAE.
“It’s a culture of awareness on our roads and respect for every road user, whether it be a pedestrian, a cyclist, a car, a motorbike, or a heavy vehicle.
“By dedicating a special week for road safety, we aim to lead by example and raise awareness among the public in general and riders in specific, to drive safely and avoid dangerous acts like speeding and overtaking other cars.
“We are also rewarding riders who adhere to traffic rules, to encourage positive behaviour.”
Ms Rahal said they will use their social media platforms to convey their safety message with the public.
Biggest challenges on the road
Talabat said it decided to introduce more training after holding rider focus groups.
Delivery riders shared some of their biggest challenges on the road, which included other motorists changing lanes quickly without using indicators, stopping suddenly without activating blinkers, or driving too fast and tailgating.
Riders also appealed to road users, especially big vehicles, to pay more attention to smaller vehicles to help keep them and others safe.
There has been a steady increase in the number of motorbike delivery riders on the roads of the UAE, fuelled in part by home working during the pandemic.
In 2018, 4,046 applications were made to ride a motorcycle in Dubai, a number that rose to 5,787 a year later.
A dual report by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority and campaign group RoadSafetyUAE recorded a 29 per cent increase in accidents involving motorbikes in 2019, compared with 2018.
That has led to an increased drive towards better training for delivery riders.
So far in 2022, Talabat has held more than 20 rider road safety training sessions in collaboration with regulatory authorities and about 30 internal awareness campaigns.
“We are proud to have our headquarters here in the UAE and be able to work closely with the authorities to further enhance rider safety in 2022, as it continues to be a top priority for us,” Ms Rahal said.
“With an exponential increase in the number of motorbikes on the road, further propelled by the pandemic, it is important to remember that driving responsibly is a duty that falls on every road user.
“We believe that it is through collaboration between the public and private sector, as well as the community, that we will achieve the best results.”
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
- 1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
- 2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
- 3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
- 4th ODI, Sunday, April 16
Squads:
- UAE: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
- Zimbabwe: Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
Fight card
- Aliu Bamidele Lasisi (Nigeria) beat Artid Vamrungauea (Thailand) POINTS
- Julaidah Abdulfatah (Saudi Arabia) beat Martin Kabrhel (Czech Rep) POINTS
- Kem Ljungquist (Denmark) beat Mourad Omar (Egypt) TKO
- Michael Lawal (UK) beat Tamas Kozma (Hungary) KO
- Zuhayr Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia) beat Mohammed Mahmoud (UK) POINTS
- Darren Surtees (UK) beat Kane Baker (UK) KO
- Chris Eubank Jr (UK) beat JJ McDonagh (Ireland) TKO
- Callum Smith (UK) beat George Groves (UK) KO
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
