9 killed in UAE traffic accidents during Eid break

Dubai - Police in Dubai responded to more than 900 crashes and dealt with up to 27,000 calls during Eid.

Nine people were killed and 35 others injured in road accidents across the country during the recent Eid Al Fitr holiday. The figures released by the Ministry of Interior show that 32 major accidents were reported on various roads of the UAE from June 15 to 17.
Speeding, reckless driving, drivers' inattentiveness, pedestrians crossing from undesignated spots and sudden change of lanes were some of the key reasons behind the accidents.
In one of the accidents in Sharjah, a 27-year-old driver died and her two passengers sustained serious injuries after the woman lost control over the vehicle and crashed into a nearby building.
The police blamed the crash that occurred on Al Qurba Road to speeding.
In another crash in Sharjah, a 35-year-old Indian man died after he was mowed down by a speeding car as he crossed the six-lane Emirates Road near Al Rahmaniya tunnel.
In Ras Al Khaimah, a 23-year-old Asian man was killed and his 28-year-old friend sustained serious injuries after their car flipped and rolled over several times on the Shoka Al Manayi road.
The crash that occurred on Saturday was also attributed to speeding.
The police in Dubai said it had responded to more than 900 crashes and dealt with up to 27,000 calls from the public during the three-day holiday. According to the police, most of the incidents recorded were minor to moderate and were caused due to speeding, not leaving sufficient distance between vehicles and inattentive driving.
A top police official called on drivers to adhere to the rules while changing lanes and avoid driving mistakes, especially while entering road intersections.
Brigadier-General Juma Ahmad Hamel Al Qubaisi from the Traffic Coordination Department at the Ministry of Interior said majority of the crashes resulted from the driver's failure to abide by traffic rules and regulations. "Drivers should strictly adhere to traffic rules to avoid accidents that claim the lives of innocent people."
He also noted that the police across the country have stepped up measures to reduce accidents and traffic deaths by intensifying traffic awareness programmes.
Al Qubaisi noted that traffic departments are fully prepared to deal with accidents, but urged motorists to obey traffic rules, especially speed limits, leaving a safe distance between cars and avoiding illegal parking.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi
• Dubai
• Sharjah