Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered a comprehensive set of measures, including surprise drug tests for drivers, on Sunday to enhance road safety and ensure strict accountability, particularly for those operating transport and heavy vehicles.
Madbouly has instructed all relevant authorities to carry out routine, unannounced drug tests for all truck drivers, particularly those operating on highways.
The directive, issued during a high-level meeting with ministers and officials, mandates that testing be conducted at regular and frequent intervals, with legal action taken against any driver found to be under the influence of narcotics. Madbouly also called for a review—and potential tightening—of penalties for driving while impaired, in light of the recent tragic accident.
Implementation of presidential directives
These decisions are part of the government’s implementation of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s directives, which include expediting compensation for the families of victims, accelerating maintenance on the Regional Ring Road, and enforcing stricter safety measures.
Madbouly instructed that all repairs and maintenance on the road be completed within the set timelines and stressed the strict adherence to safety and security protocols throughout the implementation. He also emphasised the need to separate the flow of passenger and cargo vehicles in construction areas to avoid dangerous intermingling that could lead to further accidents.
To bolster these efforts, the Prime Minister ordered intensified traffic patrols, the installation of additional radar systems and surveillance cameras, and nationwide enforcement of traffic laws.
Support for victims’ families
In a gesture of national solidarity, Madbouly announced a package of support measures for the families of the 19 female victims, all of whom were from the village of Kafr El-Sanabsa in Menoufia Governorate.
The measures include full exemption from school and university tuition fees for affected families, the provision of exceptional monthly pensions, and the naming of public streets and government buildings in the village after the deceased, in honour of their memory.
Transport minister’s swift response
Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir conducted an inspection tour on Sunday to review ongoing development work along the Regional Ring Road.
He assessed safety conditions, particularly in construction zones and areas with road diversions or access points for agriculture and residential use. The minister issued immediate instructions to improve security, separate traffic directions, close unsafe or random entry points, and intensify clear signage and warning lights around the clock.
In coordination with the Ministry of Interior, random roadside drug testing for truck and minibus drivers has already begun—not only on the Regional Ring Road, but across highways nationwide. These tests are being conducted at permanent checkpoints and toll gates.
Additional mobile traffic patrols and road security units have been deployed to monitor speed compliance, prevent wrong-way driving, and ensure adherence to traffic regulations—efforts aimed at enhancing road safety in Egypt.
El-Wazir also emphasised that truck owners must ensure their drivers are appropriately licensed, free of drug use, and that all vehicles undergo routine technical inspections before entering service.
According to the minister, a significant increase in speed cameras along the Regional Ring Road has already yielded results, with over 900 violations recorded in just four hours.
Accountability and public awareness
Addressing the broader impact of the tragedy, El-Wazir stressed the need for a national shift in public behaviour. A seminar will be held soon, under the directives of President El-Sisi and in collaboration with the Ministry of Endowments, to raise awareness of dangerous practices.
The seminar will focus on issues such as children throwing stones at trains, unlicensed driving, and drug-impaired operation of vehicles. Messages addressing these behaviours have already begun to be incorporated into mosque sermons across the country to reinforce social responsibility.
El-Wazir stated that joint teams from the Ministries of Interior and Health, along with personnel from the rehabilitation centre, will be stationed at all checkpoints to conduct random drug tests. These teams will test drivers of trucks, microbuses, and private vehicles alike.
“Everyone responsible for this accident will be held accountable—from the drug-using, unlicensed driver to the vehicle owner who allowed him behind the wheel,” he said.
Compensation and justice
In response to public concerns regarding the level of compensation, El-Wazir clarified that the initial financial assistance was emergency relief and that final compensation amounts will be determined through judicial proceedings.
He stressed that the vehicle owner who permitted an unqualified and intoxicated driver to operate the truck will be legally liable for full compensation.
“We’re ready to support the victims’ families,” he said. “Anyone willing to work to support their family will be employed immediately. We will soon announce additional benefits once the government finalises its review.”
The deadly crash, which occurred on Friday when a transport truck collided with a microbus on the Regional Ring Road near Ashmoun in Menoufia, has sparked a nationwide conversation on road safety, regulation, and accountability.
As the nation mourns the victims, the government’s swift and comprehensive response seeks to prevent further tragedies while delivering justice and remembrance for those lost.
