Ten injured in crashes on Abu Dhabi-Dubai road

Abu Dhabi: Ten people were injured in multiple accidents involving 25 cars yesterday on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai road, in the area around Sameeh Bridge.

The accidents were reported amid limited visibility due to heavy fog

One woman of Arabic nationality was hospitalised with severe injuries as were two others.

Emergency vehicles responded promptly to the accidents, assisting the injured and ensuring safety of other motorists.

"All the injured were transported to nearby Al Rahba and Al Mafraq hospitals within 30 minutes for treatment and seven of them left right after being treated. The roads were cleared of debris and reopened for traffic," said Brigadier Hussain Al Harthi, director of Abu Dhabi Traffic and Patrol Department.

The police began implementing emergency procedures immediately upon receiving a weather report about the fog.

"Patrols increased since 1 am and were prepared to deal with emergencies in cooperation with civil authorities and Dubai police to warn motorists of the dense fog. Heavy trucks were prohibited from taking the road until [weather] conditions cleared. Violators were subject to impounding of vehicles for a period of one month, a Dh200 fine and 12 black points," he added.

Al Harthi called on road maintenance crews to take all safety precautions including installing visible signs and beacons to warn people of construction and traffic obstructions. He also called on drivers to slow down during fog, refrain from passing other vehicles and leave sufficient space between vehicles to ensure they had enough reaction time.

"Drivers must remain focused during heavy fog, and avoid stopping in the middle of traffic lanes to avoid getting struck from behind because of severely limited visibility," he added.