ADP urges motorists to follow traffic guidelines during fog

One person sustained minor injuries following a 15-car pile-up on the Abu Dhabi – Dubai road towards Al Samha on Monday morning. The injured citizen was treated at the scene of the accident, which resulted from low horizontal visibility due to fog in various areas of the road.
Colonel Mohammed Ahmed Saif Al Mazroui, Head of the Peripheral Regions Traffic Department at the Traffic and Patrols Directorate in Abu Dhabi Police, said that the operation room dispatched traffic patrols immediately on hearing of the situation, who then implemented the emergency plan for foggy conditions by controlling traffic flow at the location and clearing the road of damaged vehicles as quickly as possible in order to avoid further incidents involving one or more cars.
Colonel Al Mazroui noted that the Directorate has also implemented a contingency plan during fog to prevent trucks and heavy vehicles from entering Abu Dhabi from truck motorways during peak hours, until the visibility clears. Procedures like this contribute to the promotion of road safety during foggy conditions and reduce traffic accidents.
He urged drivers to abide by directives of the traffic and patrols officers in the event of fog in order to maintain their safety and avoid accidents.
Colonel Al Mazroui called on drivers to pay attention over the coming days and to watch for changes in weather conditions that may cause fog and low visibility. He emphasised the importance of following traffic rules like maintaining sufficient space between vehicles, avoiding overtaking other vehicles, reducing speed gradually, driving cautiously at a speed that is appropriate for the circumstances, using the low-beam lights of the vehicle.
He reiterated the need to maintain enough space between vehicles, saying, "You should double the safety distance that you usually leave between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you in order to allow more time to stop, as driving conditions affect your ability to brake as quickly as you would be able to under normal conditions."
Colonel Al Mazroui encouraged transport companies to strengthen their drivers' traffic culture and to encourage them to abide by traffic regulations in foggy conditions, even advising them to cancel transportation if visibility was too low. He said that the Directorate will address drivers, especially external roads users, with awareness messages in collaboration with the Security Media Department at the General Secretariat of the Office of H.H Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.