UAE police step up efforts to reduce fog accidents

Abu Dhabi - The police will not be tolerant to any lorry or bus driver caught driving on Abu Dhabi roads.

The Abu Dhabi Police have stepped up efforts to enforce the traffic law banning trucks and buses transporting labourers from using the roads during foggy weather.
The move came after the police's operations room received 11,045 emergency calls from motorists in two days from February 5-7, as a result of the heavy fog that blanketed various parts of the emirate and affected visibility.
Police said that as part of measures to ensure safety during foggy weather, the force is keen on ensuring that all heavy trucks and buses comply with the law which orders them to park on the roadside during foggy conditions and wait until the situation gets back to normal. This is to ensure the safety of road users and avoid possible fatal accidents.
Police said they will not tolerant to any lorry or bus driver caught driving on the Abu Dhabi roads during the foggy conditions.
Brigadier Khalifa Mohammed Al Khaili, director of traffic and patrols directorate at the Abu Dhabi Police, said: "Police had banned lorries and buses transporting workers from using roads during foggy conditions and instead wait until the weather condition returns to normal to ensure safety on the roads and to prevent accidents."
In the recent incident, last Tuesday morning, the foggy weather resulted in the injury of 22 people in a pile-up crash, which involved 44 vehicles on the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Street.
The police said the incidentwas caused by the low-visibility due to the heavy fog.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi