Nine hurt as 20 vehicles involved in UAE pile-up

Four lorries collide with commuter cars in evening crash

Nine motorists were injured in a major traffic incident that involved as many as 20 vehicles in the north-east of the UAE.

The pile-up happened on the road to Dibba Al Fujairah, one of the main towns on the country's east coast, on Wednesday evening.

“The chain reaction car accident resulted in eight minor injuries and one moderate injury. The road was blocked,” Fujairah Police said.

It is thought the crash happened when a car caught fire on the main road and other vehicles braked quickly. The lorries crashed into the cars in front. Several authorities, including the national ambulance service, rushed to the scene.

“All injured individuals were transported to the hospital to receive the necessary medical care and treatment," a police statement said.

Few further details were available. Police urged all drivers to exercise caution, adhere to speed limits, and maintain a safe distance between vehicles, especially on mountain roads.

Nationwide police figures showed an 8 per cent increase in traffic accidents in 2024 compared with the previous year.

Despite safety campaigns and enforcement measures, 384 people died in crashes last year – an increase from 352 deaths in 2023 and 343 in 2022.

The figures were published as the country witnesses a population boom. But over the past decade, traffic deaths have significantly fallen from a high of 725 in 2016, due to better road awareness, tougher policing and advanced safety measures in cars.