Dubai: A 36-car pile-up caused by fog on Dubai Bypass Road yesterday morning resulted in a number of injuries according to Dubai Police.
Two vehicles were burnt as a result of the crash and ten were wrecked, while other cars involved in the pile-up — on the Sharjah to Dubai road — all sustained minor damage.
Brigadier Omar Abdullah Al Shamsi, Director of the Control Centre in Dubai Police's Operations Room, said the pile-up, which was reported to the operations room at 7.15am, was caused by speeding, failing to leave a safe distance between cars and reckless driving in adverse weather conditions.
Adverse weather
Major General Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director of Dubai Police's Traffic Department, warned drivers against speeding and asked them to be cautious while driving in adverse weather conditions, especially since the UAE is currently witnessing high fog density in the early hours of the morning, which is expected to last in the coming days.
"The possibility of accidents multiplies in these conditions, during which related instructions must be fully implemented by drivers," he said.
The lack of commitment by some drivers to these directions caused an increasing number of accidents in the past two days, including the pile-up yesterday morning, he said.
Patrols
Patrols were immediately dispatched to the location of the accident to regulate traffic and prevent congestion, along with ambulances, civil defence and rescue vehicles.
"This issue is not to be taken lightly because accidents caused by fog can be serious, especially when accompanied by speed and reckless driving," Maj Gen Al Zafein said.
"The drivers' lack of consideration for regulations and continuing to drive despite low visibility cause a waste of life and properties," Maj Gen Al Zafein said.
The fog on Monday caused five major accidents, two moderate ones and 47 minor accidents resulting in several injuries. The control room received more than 418 calls from 5am until 8am yesterday, while 391 calls were received during the same period on Monday.
Driver training
Brigadier Al Shamsi urged residents to call the emergency number 999 only in urgent cases and to use the number 901 instead for any questions or information. Although training for driving in adverse weather conditions is recommended, it is not an obligatory part of the training needed for new drivers to receive their driving licences, according to driving institutes.
"We hold regular lectures on driving in fog, rain and adverse weather conditions in general, which are part of the training for a driving licence, and students are advised to attend these lectures but they don't have to as it is optional," said Abdul Qader Mohammad Haser, Instructors' Supervisor at Galadari Driving Institute.
Tips for safer driving in fog:
- Reduce speed.
- Leave enough distance between your car and other cars.
- Do not use hazard lights except to alert other drivers that there is an accident.
- Use the dipped driving light because high beams reflect on the water drops in the fog and further reduce visibility.
- Do not overtake unnecessarily because low visibility does not allow you to see cars approaching from the back.
- Use windshield wipers and get rid of steam accumulating on the windows from inside. Expect danger at any moment such as the car in front of you stopping suddenly or a car making a U-turn.
- Check the weather forecast before you leave.
- In the case of extremely low visibility, stop on the sand at the side of the road. Avoid stopping on the road or the hard shoulder; and
- Ensure that your tyres, brakes, lights and windshield wipers are in good condition and working properly and all windows and windshield are clean.
