Two persons killed and 15 injured in separate fog-related accidents

Two persons killed and 15 injured in separate fog-related accidents

Two persons died and 15 others injured in 6 separate fog-related traffic accidents on Sunday. They occurred on several inner and outer roads in Abu Dhabi due to reduction of horizontal visibility and formation of fog at dawn.

The injuries were reported to be major to moderate in nature. Competent teams of Abu Dhabi Police participated in rescue of the injured, providing them with the necessary first aid and taking them to the nearest hospitals for treatment.

Firstly, a major accident resulted in a massive collision involving 18 vehicles on Tariff-Abu Dhabi Road in the area after Hamim Bridge towards Abu Dhabi. The crash resulted in the death of two persons and major injuries to other 2, while 9 sustained minor injuries. The injured were taken to Al Mafraq hospital. Meanwhile, 4 people sustained injuries in other accidents in the capital.

According to Brigadier Engineer Hussein Ahmed Al Harithi, Director of Traffic and Patrols Directorate in the Abu Dhabi Police, according to the initial report, this accident occurred when a vehicle came past a U-turn without its driver noticing the vehicle coming from the other direction. This resulted in a collision, which was followed by sequential collision between 18 vehicles on the same spot.

Al Harithi, who was following the incident on the field, pointed out that instantly after the accident, patrols of the Abu Dhabi Traffic were rushed to the scene where they took a number of protective and security measures to prevent further incidents, because of the low level of horizontal visibility.

Patrol personnel organized the traffic on the Tarif-Abu Dhabi Road, until it was cleared of the wreckage resulted from the multiple vehicle crash
He praised the co-operation rendered by the Holy Quran broadcast, Emirat FM and Sharjah Radio channels for the vital role they played, as they kept warning road users on the Tarif-Abu Dhabi road and other roads, where accidents were taking place.

Al Harithi noted that a number of minor traffic accidents took place due to the fog, including one such accident, which involved the collision between 6 vehicles before the Inmaa Bridge. Same was the case, when foggy conditions caused another incident between a number of vehicles on Al Maqta Bridge, and yet another accident before the Umm Al Nar Bridge involving several vehicles, due to very low visibility conditions. In the last accident, one inside lane had to be closed in order to move the debris of the damaged vehicles out of the way.

According to Harithi, the Abu Dhabi Traffic Police decided to stop the passage of heavy vehicles on the inner and outer roads in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi during the fog and warned against further movement, or even from the point of departure, until the foggy conditions abated and the visibility improved. This police warning was in order to avoid major incidents that could occur due to heavy trucks on the road during foggy and low visibility conditions.

He noted that severe penalties will be applied on offenders, and may reach impounding of the vehicles for one month and paying a fine of AED 200, and recording of 12 traffic points. He urged those in charge of construction companies and the companies which own heavy trucks to abide by safety procedures. He appealed them to avoid pile up of vehicles on the parking spaces and roads to ensure traffic safety.

He urged motorists to be cautious and pay greater attention for the weather changes either fog or heavy rains, which the country is expected to wit