Four killed as van is gutted after crash

Four people were killed in Sharjah when a van was gutted after a crash with a car on Al Dhaid Road Interchange 6 in the Rahmania area on Monday night.

According to the police, the accident, which killed three Asians and an Emirati, happened when the van driver wrecklessly changed lanes. The police said speeding and bad weather also contributed to the accident. The Asians were travelling in the van which changed lanes unexpectedly as they approached interchange No 6, leaving the main road to the Rahmania area. The car was taking the same route at a high speed before hitting the van. A gas cylinder inside the van exploded and set the van on fire.

The Emirati driver of the car was taken to Al Qasimi Hospital by the police and rescue workers but was pronounced dead a few minutes after the arrival. The three Asians included the driver of the van, and their bodies were shifted to the police forensic laboratory.

The Sharjah Police on Tuesday launched a traffic campaign aimed at cautioning motorists to be extra careful while driving in bad weather. Police patrol teams were out on roads starting from Corniche Road to industrial areas, giving out brochures to motorists as well as helping to control the flow of traffic in intersections, said Col. Shawaf Mohammed Abdul Rahman, Director of Patrols Unit at the Sharjah Police.

“Most of the accidents on rainy days are avoidable if drivers learn to be careful and take extra control of their cars,” he said, adding that avoiding speeding and leaving enough space between vehicles are very important during bad weather.

As part of the campaign, the police have urged the public to be safe on roads as well as on seas, saying that all beachgoers needed to check with the meteorological offices before going to swim. He said that the sea had been rough and it is better if beachgoer and fishermen could avoid going the sea.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com