A weather warning was issued to the public as thick fog blanketed skies across the Emirates on Wednesday morning, prompting police in Abu Dhabi to cut speed limits across a number of key routes.
Motorists were urged to be vigilant during the hazardous weather conditions, which are expected to persist for several days.
Abu Dhabi Police reduced speed limits to 80kph on a number of roads on Wednesday morning as a safety measure, as dense fog hampered visibility.
The speed-reduction measures are in place on stretches of the E11 - the main transport link between Dubai and Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road as well as routes including Sheikh Salem bint Buti Road and Ahmed Khamis Al-Hamli Road.
Drivers received safety alerts on their mobile phones on the morning commute, notifying them of the 80kph speed cap and advising them to exercise caution during the dense fog.
The National Centre of Meteorology issued a yellow alert for fog - calling on the public to expect areas of fog formation and mist for large parts of the county.
A more severe red alert - covering parts of Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates - is also in place, cautioning that visibility would fall below 1km.
Both fog warnings will be in place until 9am. The NCM's latest five-day weather bulletin predicts that further fog and mist will roll in over internal and coastal areas until at least Sunday.
Stay safe and slow down
Abu Dhabi Police began to enforce the 80kph speed limit during bad weather – such as heavy rain, sandstorms and fog – in April 2019.
Temporary speed limits are posted on electronic signboards on roads, sent to phone users and announced on social media.
The force also posts messages on its social media channels to alert motorists when the temporary speed limits on roads are lifted.
The strategy aims to encourage motorists to take care behind the wheel and to slow down during periods of challenging weather.
Motorists who flout the safety rules can face fines of Dh300 ($81.6) when exceeding speed limits by up to 10kph.
This fine is doubled for those breaking the speed limit by no more than 20kph.
Penalties increase in line with the severity of the breach of traffic regulations.
