The preliminary investigations showed that the accidents occurred due to fog, poor visibility, and the drivers’ failure to abide the traffic rules.
One driver was seriously injured, while 17 others sustained medium to minor injuries in three-pile up traffic accidents on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway on Friday.The accidents took place at different locations on both sides of the highway. Fifty vehicles were damaged, two of them were burned completely on the spot.
The preliminary investigations showed that the accidents occurred due to fog, poor visibility, and the drivers’ failure to abide the traffic rules.
The Traffic and Patrols Directorate at the Abu Dhabi Police urged the motorists to exercise caution, pay attention, reduce speed and leave enough safe distance between vehicles during such weather conditions.
Lt-Colonel Mohammed Ahmed Al Mazrouei, Acting Head of the Peripheral Regions Traffic Department at the Traffic and Patrols Directorate in Abu Dhabi Police, noted that as soon as the report was received, the directorate initiated the emergency plan for fog-related incidents, in coordination with the Civil Defence and the Emergency and Public Safety Department.
“The directorate closed the road to traffic and redirected commuters to alternative routes to prevent further collisions. The injured were given first-aid at the accident site before being transferred to Al Rahba hospital for further treatment. The damaged vehicles were removed by the police,” Lt-Colonel Al Mazrouei said.
He added that the collisions occurred between 7.00 and 7.30am at three separate locations on both sides of the highway. “The first accident occurred in the Sih Sameeh region, injuring two individuals and damaging eight vehicles.
The second accident took place in the area just before Sih Sameeh area and caused minor to moderate injuries to 11 people, while damaging 12 vehicles.
The third accident occurred just before Al Tawila Bridge; five people sustained minor to moderate injuries and 30 vehicles were damaged,” explained Lt-Colonel Al Mazroui.
As part of the “Safety During Fog” initiative, which is organised by the directorate in cooperation with the Security Media Department at the General Secretariat of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Al Mazrouei urged all drivers, especially the truck drivers, to reduce speed, refrain from overtaking, and avoid using hazard lights.
He noted that the measures adopted by the directorate during foggy conditions, particularly preventing trucks and large vehicles from using roads during fog, until the fog clears and visibility is good. “Severe penalties will be implemented on those who fail to abide by these rules, which aim at promoting traffic safety during foggy conditions and reducing traffic accidents,” he said.
“Motorists are advised to follow the traffic instructions during foggy conditions, notably by leaving enough space between vehicles and not tailgating, reducing speed, avoiding overtaking, using low lights, avoiding hazard lights, and listening to awareness messages provided by the Abu Dhabi Police to motorists through the media,” Al Mazrouei said.
