Video of caretaker energy minister riding motorcycle without helmet sparks controversy

BEIRUT — A video circulating on social media showing Lebanon's caretaker energy minister, Walid Fayad, riding on the back of a motorcycle without wearing a helmet has has sparked controversy.

The video shows Fayad urging all motorcyclists to adhere to traffic laws and safety measures while he himself rides, accompanied by a young man, on the motorcycle. However, in the video the minister is not wearing a helmet, which is required by law for motorcycle riders.

"One should be very careful," Fayad said. "One should not go right to pass cars but should stick to the left."

Social media users questioned how the minister can expect others to follow the rules when he himself is not setting a good example. Other social media users defended the minister, saying he was acting "just like the common people." Motorcyclists without helmets are a common sight on Lebanese roads.

Reacting to the video, YASA, an association specializing in road safety, criticized the fact that the minister "appears on the motorbike with another person without any application of road safety standards, whereas he should be a model of respect and application of the law by wearing a helmet and appropriate clothing."

The Lebanese state has faced criticism for a perceived lack of enforcement when it comes to traffic safety laws.