Sudden stops kill four in Dubai this year

Dubai: Vehicles stopping suddenly in the middle of the road have caused four accidents, that resulted in four deaths and 12 injuries in the first quarter of 2014.

In 2013, there were three accidents caused by stopping suddenly on the road, causing four deaths and six injuries.

Dubai Police warns the public against complacency in some behaviours that seem harmless, but it can lead to fatal accidents on the main roads, such as neglecting to refuel as soon as the red light in their vehicles goes on.

Failing to refuel can have serious consequences, when the vehicle runs out of fuel, as the driver either stops in the middle of the road or on the hard shoulder.

Major Ahmad Atiq Al Ketbi, Director of Deira Patrols, said that if a car runs out of fuel or there is a problem with the vehicle’s tyres, then the driver should immediately move to the hard shoulder of the road and out of the traffic flow.

He said that even if the tyre burst, a vehicle is still capable of moving for some distance. People should drive the car off the road into the hard shoulder, then put the Emergency Warning Triangle behind the car making sure it’s placed a sufficient distance away and then ask for help.

He said people should not try to cross highways to get petrol from a station across the road, because that puts them at risk of getting runover.

Lieutenant Mohammad Aziz, from the 999 Rescue Department, said they receive many calls from people, usually women, asking for help because they ran out of fuel.

Aziz said they tell the callers to park in the hard shoulder, and get out of the car and stand somewhere safe, as it is not safe to stop in the hard shoulder, because other vehicles might veer-off and hit them.