Cairo Ring Road or Death Road

Anyone who has travelled this ring road from say Maadi to Katameya, or points further, will agree it is the most dangerous road, with the most stupid, death defying drivers mankind can invent. Accidents are common, and no police presence to stifle the stupid drivers racing down the road at crazy high speeds, zigzagging all over the lanes. Not just cars but the 1/2 ton delivery trucks, mini buses, large articulate trucks, large buses all act the same. All rushing somewhere so they can have a sandwhich and tea and brag to friends how fast they made the trip. Night time is worse, with lots driving with no, or little lights, and huge trucks parked on side, or broken down, even in the so called fast lane.

Latest catstophe happened and persons I know took anywhere from 2 to 4 hours to get to Maadi. Even worse was cars being parked and abandoned on the highway lanes with no accident and going across road to see the blood and guts at accident scene. So, entire highway was blocked for several hours. The accident happend at night and even next morning it took 2 hours to get from Katameya to Maadi still because of idiots stopping cars, on both sides of highway, and getting out to see wreakage.

Here is description of latest death and injury accident from Egypt Daily Mail. Many who saw the carnage, question the validity of the number of death and injuries reported below.

You may also may wish to see this previous post on Egypt World's No. 1 In road Accident Deaths

Four dead, tens injured in Ring Road pileup

By Asmaa El Gammal
First Published: April 28, 2009

CAIRO: At least four people died and more than 30 were injured Monday in a road accident involving more than 20 cars on the Ring Road in Katameya.

Some of those injured are still in intensive care.

The accident involved a collision between a truck full of steel rods and a public transportation bus, followed by a collision of more than 20 cars coming towards the accident site at high speed, according to local press reports.

“The cars were crushed. There wasn’t a single piece that wasn’t destroyed,” said Ahmed Saad, an eyewitness to the aftermath of the accident. “It was really sad. They were dragging corpses out of the cars. I don’t know why people drive at this crazy speed.”

Saad was delayed for two hours on the Ring Road while police authorities asked drivers to move their cars to the sides of the road. “The entire road was a mess,” Saad said.

However, an official at the media center of the Interior Ministry said the remains of the accident have now been removed and traffic has eased.

Victims were taken to the Ahli Bank Hospital, the Yom Al Wahed Surgical Hospital in Basateen and the Kahraba Hospital.

According to a public relations officer at the Ahli Bank Hospital, 30 victims arrived for treatment, including four who were announced dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, 20 victims of another nearby accident in the Tagammu area were also brought in for treatment, including one who was dead on arrival. Most of these patients have been discharged, while a total of 13 patients from both accidents remain at the hospital. Three of these are in intensive care.

The Kahraba Hospital received only one victim, also in intensive care. The patient is unconscious and suffers from a broken jaw, injuries on the face as well as head and a possible chest hemorrhage.

According to local press reports, Ministry of Health officials put the total number of injuries in all three hospitals at 37.

According to the most recent statistics available on Egypt, 8,000 people were killed in accidents in 2006.