Three-Car Accident on Abu Dhabi-Dubai Highway: 18 Injured

50 Vehicles Damaged, Two Burnt Up Cars Due to Fog

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Saturday, January 25th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

One driver was seriously injured while 17 others sustained medium to minor injuries as a result of three different car accidents on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway on Friday. The accident took place at different locations on both sides of the highway; 50 vehicles were damaged, two of them burned completely.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the accidents occurred as a result of fog, low visibility, and to drivers’ failure to abide by the instructions set out by the Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police. The directorate had urged motorists to exercise caution, pay attention, reduce speed and leave sufficient safe distance between vehicles during changing weather conditions.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Ahmed Al Mazroui, Acting Head of the Peripheral Regions Traffic Department at the Traffic and Patrols Directorate in Abu Dhabi Police noted that as soon as the notification was received, the directorate initiated the emergency plan for fog-related incidents, in coordination with the Civil Defense 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 scene of the accident before being transferred to Al Rahba hospital for further treatment. The Police put out the two cars that caught fire, and removed the damaged vehicles,” continued Lt. Colonel Al Mazroui.

According to Al Mazroui, the collisions occurred between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m. at three separate locations on on both sides of the highway as a result of heavy fog, speed, and failure to leave sufficient safe distance between vehicles. “The first accident occurred at the Sih Sameeh region, the inbound lane, injuring two individuals, with injuries ranging between serious to moderate and damaging eight vehicles. The second accident took place in the area just before Sih Sameeh area outbound from Abu Dhabi; 11 people sustained minor to moderate injuries and 12 vehicles were damaged.  The third accident occurred just before Al Tawila Bridge outbound from Abu Dhabi; five people sustained minor to moderate injuries and 30 vehicles were damaged,” explained Lt. Colonel Al Mazroui.

As a part of the “Safety During Fog” initiative, which is organized by the directorate in cooperation with the Security Media Department at the General Secretariat of the Office of H.H Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Interior, Al Mazroui urged all drivers, especially truck drivers, to reduce speed, maintain sufficient distance between cars, refrain from overtaking, and avoid using warning hazard lights.

Furthermore, he reiterated 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 to promote traffic safety during foggy conditions and reduce traffic accidents,” he stated.

In conclusion, Al Mazroui called upon drivers to exercise caution especially during the upcoming period that may witness climate changes and low visibility due to fog at different times of the day. “Motorists are advised to follow the instructions of traffic officers during foggy conditions, notably leaving sufficient space between vehicles, 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,” Lt. Colonel Al Mazroui said.

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The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

Contacts

The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media

Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317

E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com









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