Umm Al Quwain - The UAQ Police have taken several precautionary measures to curb traffic snarls and ensure road users' safety.
Published: Sun 18 Nov 2018, 8:01 PM
Seven people were killed and 68 others were injured in traffic accidents involving trucks on the roads of Umm Al Quwain in the first 10 months of 2018.
Col Saeed Obaid bin Aran, director of the traffic and patrols department, UAQ Police, said most of the accidents were caused by congestions created by trucks on the highways of the emirate. "Failing to observe safe distance and inattentive driving are other major reasons for accidents."
The UAQ Police have taken several precautionary measures to curb traffic snarls and ensure road users' safety, he added. "More traffic patrols are now deployed on the expressways to control traffic. Fixed and mobile cameras are also in operation to nab erring truck drivers."
The UAQ Police have also re-planned the entrances and exits of the federal roads along the emirate and repainted them with yellow colours in coordination with the Ministry of Infrastructure Development. "This move is meant to alert truck drivers and prevent them from pulling over on these yellowish areas so that light vehicles have easy and smooth access to these entrances and exits with no traffic obstruction or possible collisions."
Col Bin Aran said the traffic snarls involving heavy trucks on the federal roads, mainly on the Emirates Road and the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Road at the Muhazab intersection do not seem to end. "This is mainly due to the ban or no-truck-access times that differ from one emirate to another," he underlined.
He urged all drivers to be extra cautious on the road, remain focused, and never get distracted. "Keeping a due safe distance, and observing speed limit are also critical for road user's safety."
A few days earlier, the UAQ Police announced the timings of heavy trucks ban on the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Etihad Road for those coming from Sharjah. "The move was meant to curb traffic congestion on the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Road and at Exit 90 in the direction of Muhazab intersection. The ban decision, enforced on November 5, will remain valid until further notice."
Erring truck drivers shall be slapped with a hefty fine of Dh1,000 and four black traffic points that will be added to their traffic file, Col Bin Aran warned.
"The ban, starting from 5.30am to 9.30am and from 4.30pm to 9.30pm is effective on the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan road, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Etihad Road."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com
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