UAE fog: 1 dead, 8 injured in 19-vehicle pile-up in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: One motorist died and eight others were injured in a 19 vehicle pile-up on Tuesday.

Abu Dhabi Police said the accident took place between heavy and light vehicles in Al Mafraq area, which was caused by low road visibility due to heavy fog.

“The deceased was identified as an Asian, and eight motorists were left with injuries,” said police in a statement.

Road conditions were significantly harsh on Tuesday morning due to a thick blanket of fog that affected the majority of areas in the country. The preliminary police report indicated that motorists failed to maintain an adequate distance between each other, which led to the multi-car crash.

Caution advised

The Abu Dhabi Police have called upon motorists to be particularly cautious when driving during a fog, and to pay full attention to the road. In order to ensure the safety of all road users, they must also keep pace with traffic updates on air, and through messages on variable messaging signs on the road, in order to adhere to applicable speed limits.

Earlier this week, the Police announced that the speed limit is reduced to 80 kilometres per hour during the fog, and that it was notifying motorists via SMS and variable message road signs. It also urged motorists to check their vehicles, and to maintain safe distances from surrounding vehicles.