Abu Dhabi: Jason Capiton wished he had the time to stop by the roadside for the heavy fog to clear as he drove back to Dubai on Saturday morning, after dropping a passenger off at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
"I was required back in Dubai urgently. Because the fog was thick, I was also driving with extreme caution at only about 100 kilometres per hour," Capiton, a 37-year-old driver from Philippines, told Gulf News.
Suddenly, Capiton spotted a number of cars ahead that seemed to have crashed into one another.
"I slowed down as much as I could and braked hard. Luckily, because I was not driving too fast, I could avoid hitting the bus and pile of cars ahead of me," the father of two said.
The accident eventually left 127 cars damaged, more than 60 people injured and one person dead.
But the ordeal was not over. Another car was headed towards Capiton's.
Awful sound
"The driver had the presence of mind to hit only the back of my vehicle, and I didn't get hurt. But as I watched, a four-wheeler came skidding out from behind me at a speed of more than 140 kilometres per hour; and crashed into the wreckage of the cars next to me. And the awful sound of vehicles thumping and slamming and skidding continued for the next ten minutes. At that moment, my biggest fear was not being able to see my wife and children in the Philippines again," he said.
Capiton was one of the first victims of last week's massive pile-up on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway in which 127 cars collided as a result of heavy fog and driver recklessness. "Fortunately, I was not hurt because I wasn't driving very fast. I saw many cars that were, and the drivers that got out of the cars later were covered in blood and often crying," he said.
When asked what could have caused the crash, Capiton said it appeared that a bus had stopped sideways in the middle of the highway.
"From what I could see, if the bus had moved to the side of the road, I think the accident would not have been as devastating. It would also have helped if drivers had been alerted to the incident up ahead via those Intelligent Transport System (ITS) operated signboards that can be seen in Dubai," he added.
Khalid Al Beloushi, 37, another victim of the pile-up and an Emirati civil defence officer who was admitted to Al Rahba Hospital, also said that people panicked when they saw the situation ahead.
Al Beloushi added that speeding worsened the situation.
Safe-driving tips
- Ask yourself if your journey is really necessary before driving in thick fog. Avoid travelling in a car if you can.
- Make sure the headlights and the front windows of the car are clean before starting the journey.
- Reduce speed, leave enough space between vehicles and avoid overtaking.
- Do not change lanes unless necessary.
- Turn on headlights (but low beams only).
- Avoid turning on hazard lights, except in emergency cases. Using hazard lights all the time prevents a motorist from alerting other motorists to an emergency.
- Turn on the appropriate fog lights when driving.
- Make sure the windshield wipers work properly to maintain clear visibility.
- Be alert at all times for dangers such as a vehicle suddenly braking in front or another vehicle entering from a side road. This means not using mobile phones when driving, for example.
- Allow more time to complete a journey, especially in low visibility.
