Fog causes 24 traffic accidents in Dubai in three hours

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Dubai Police on Sunday morning handled over 1,800 emergency calls and recorded 24 traffic accidents (including two major accidents) from 6:00am until 9:00am due to the heavy fog in several areas of the emirate.

Colonel Turki Abdurrahman Bin Fares, Director of Command and Control Centre at Dubai Police, said they experienced a 30% increase in the number of calls received as compared to last Sunday when the centre handled 1,257 emergency calls and recorded 26 traffic accidents (including one major accident).

Colonel Bin Fares said that the General Department of Operations, in coordination with its counterparts in the neighbouring emirates, had implemented from the early morning the “FOG SYSTEM” which halts trucks and heavy vehicles movement on highways during the foggy weather to ensure the smooth flow of movement and prevent major traffic accidents.

Dubai Police urged road users to exercise caution, adhere to safety rules, and to reduce speeds while driving during fog and unstable weather conditions.

Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, urged motorists to keep a safe distance between cars and adjust their speed to the weather conditions. He also urged motorists to use low-beam lights and indicate clearly when changing lanes.

“Allow extra time for your journey and check your planned route. It’s also advisable to wait for the fog to clear until visibility improves." Brigadier Al Mazroui said.

Al Mazroui explained that accidents happen during bad weather conditions that cause low visibility tend to be more severe, pointing out that Dubai Police did not record any serious accidents or injuries.