Abu Dhabi police urge drivers to move broken-down cars to safety or face fines

Force shares footage of traffic accident to drive home importance of ensuring stationary vehicles are not a hazard

A screengrab from a video released by Abu Dhabi Police shows examples of reckless driving in the UAE

Abu Dhabi Police have released footage of a serious road crash to remind motorists to park in a safe spot if their vehicles break down.

The video captures a car slamming into a vehicle parked on the hard shoulder on the left side of the road, as its passengers struggle to escape.

Other cars were seen slowing down to avoid the crash.

Motorists must move their cars to designated emergency areas or to the nearest safe parking spots to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and the safety of other road users, stressed Mahmoud Al Balushi, director of the Traffic and Security Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police.

They can also stop on the right side of the hard shoulder, put on the hazard lights and place reflective triangles at the vehicle's rear end to alert other drivers.

Motorists stopping a car in the middle of the road will face a fine of Dh1,000 ($272) and six black points on their licence.

In case the car cannot be moved, drivers must call emergency line 999 for immediate assistance and step out of the vehicle for their safety.

Motorists who fail to follow these safety guidelines will face a fine of Dh500.

Drivers are also encouraged to carry out regular checks on their vehicles to avoid breakdowns during the summer months.

Police in Abu Dhabi regularly post footage of road accidents to remind motorists of the need to follow traffic rules to avoid deaths and injuries.

In an earlier scheme, they focused on the importance of avoiding distractions, such as using mobile phones while driving, and allowing adequate time to react to road incidents.

Reporting minor accidents

Since the start of this month, drivers can use the Saaed app to report minor accidents.

Once they select the accident reporting service, they must enter their phone numbers for location detection and provide details of the incident by uploading relevant photos of the crash along with their own licence.

Users must verify the information before completing the request process, after which a request number is generated.

The entire process should not take more than three minutes, Mr Al Balushi said.