The Dubai Police General Command issued a cautionary statement, urging drivers to exercise caution and reduce speeds, especially in foggy conditions.
This advisory extends to bicycle and electric scooter users, emphasizing the importance of wearing reflective vests and adhering to traffic rules and instructions.
Reduced visibility and potential dangers
The police highlighted the decreased horizontal visibility during dense fog, which can lead to traffic accidents if drivers do not follow safety advice. Major General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, the Director of the General Traffic Department at Dubai Police, emphasized the need for drivers to check weather conditions, particularly during fog-prone months, to avoid potentially dangerous accidents.
Severity of Fog-Related Accidents
He underlined the severity of fog-related accidents, which often result in fatalities, injuries, and material losses due to collisions resulting from insufficient distance between vehicles and failure to reduce speeds. Major General Al Mazrouei outlined safety procedures for driving in fog, including reducing speed, maintaining adequate distance between vehicles, using all vehicle lights in the early morning hours, avoiding overtaking, not changing lanes unnecessarily, and using turn signals appropriately.
Safety Measures for Bicycle and Electric Scooter Riders
Additionally, he suggested avoiding distractions, not stopping in the middle of the road after a minor accident, and arriving at work early enough to avoid stress from delays. Furthermore, the director stressed the importance of bicycle and electric scooter riders adhering to security and safety requirements, such as respecting traffic laws, wearing a helmet, using reflective vests, and installing bright, reflective lights on their vehicles.
Intensified traffic patrols
Traffic patrols will intensify their presence during foggy conditions, focusing on external streets to alert drivers to reduce speeds and prevent parking on road shoulders. Additionally, the patrols will supervise the diversion of truck traffic to designated rest stops during fog times to mitigate potential dangers associated with slow driving.
Emergency Calls and Response
The Command and Control Center at Dubai Police received 2,841 calls to the emergency number 999 during the early morning fog hours, responding to 51 traffic accidents and emphasizing the need for all drivers to exercise caution and adhere to traffic laws and safety guidelines during various weather conditions, particularly when visibility is compromised.
