Why give drivers safety cards in their own language?
Many fleets in the Gulf employ drivers whose first language is Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tagalog or Nepali. A safety briefing in English or Arabic only may be understood in part. A short card in the driver's own language, kept in the cab, puts the few things that matter most where he can read them when he needs them: before the trip, after an accident, in the heat and when he is tired.
The Transport General Authority in Saudi Arabia published its own guide for truck drivers in Arabic, English and Urdu in 2022, for the same reason. These cards are not a replacement for that guide or for training; they are a reminder that fits in a pocket.
Which languages are included, and why the fonts matter
Every page of the file has the same four cards in one language: English, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tagalog or Nepali. Urdu uses the Nastaliq style its readers expect, and Hindi and Nepali share the Devanagari script. Bengali uses Bengali numerals and the word for water used in Bangladesh.
The PDF has every font embedded, so it prints correctly on any computer. The Word file also carries the Urdu, Devanagari, Bengali and Malayalam fonts inside it, so the letters join correctly when you type your numbers. Google Docs may not use the embedded fonts, so print from the PDF if you work in Google Docs.
How to use the driver safety cards
- Check each language you will print. Ask a driver or colleague who reads it as a first language to read the card, and record the name on the cover.
- Add your numbers: the emergency number for your country and the supervisor's mobile, by hand on the PDF or typed in the Word file.
- Print at actual size on A4 and cut along the dashed lines. Laminate the cards so they last in the cab.
- Hand them out in person, at induction or in a toolbox talk. Read each card together and ask the driver to explain each point in his own words.
- Record who received which language on the issue record, and give a new set when a driver joins or a card is lost.
Where do the safety points come from?
Each point is written in plain words from a public source, so you can check it:
- Before you drive: the parts a driver checks before driving in US FMCSA rule 49 CFR 392.7 (brakes, parking brake, steering, lights, tires, horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling, wheels and emergency equipment) and cargo securement in 392.9. The safety kit of fire extinguisher, warning triangle and first-aid kit is the Saudi minimum in Decision 642 of December 2022, as reported by Ajel.
- After an accident: Norfolk County Council (UK) advice on hazard lights, engines off, calling emergency services and not moving injured people unless fire or explosion threatens them, and Luxembourg Police advice on the warning triangle and photos.
- Extreme heat: US OSHA guidance on the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, cooling the person and never leaving them alone, and its Water. Rest. Shade. campaign.
- Fatigue: US NHTSA on 7 to 8 hours of sleep and the short effect of coffee, and the US CDC list of drowsy driving warning signs and a 15 to 20 minute nap.
Local rules come first. After an accident, follow the reporting steps of your country, such as Najm or the traffic police in Saudi Arabia or the police in the UAE, which the Vehicle Accident Report Form covers in detail.
Common mistakes with driver safety cards
- Handing cards out without reading them together. A card no one explained is a card no one reads.
- Blank emergency fields. A card without the number to call loses its most useful line.
- Guessing the driver's language. Ask; a Nepali driver handed a Hindi card can read the script but may miss the meaning.
- Printing at reduced size. Small Nastaliq or Malayalam text becomes hard to read; print at actual size.
- Never replacing worn cards. Check the cab during inspections and replace faded cards.
What the cards do not cover
The cards are short reminders, not training, not a company policy and not medical advice. They do not replace your driver induction, your driving and rest hours rules or the vehicle manual. The translations are written in short, simple sentences; have a native speaker check each language before you print, as the cover suggests. Emergency numbers differ by country, so the cards leave them for you to fill in.