Abu Dhabi bans heavy vehicles during foggy weather

Early morning fog shrouds the Dubai Expo 2020 metro line near Discovery Gardens on Tuesday. Pawan Singh / The National

A deluge of mist and fog this week followed one of the coldest starts to January in years. Pawan Singh / The National

Drivers were urged to be cautious as poor conditions made the roads perilous. Pawan Singh / The National

An eerie image of Discovery Gardens near Jebel Ali early on Tuesday. Pawan Singh / The National

Tuesday's fog lingered for several hours, slowing traffic and leading to length tailbacks

A petrol station shrouded in early morning fog on Tuesday. Pawan Singh / The National

Dense fog greeted morning commuters and residents of Dubai And Abu Dhabi as they headed out to start the day. Antonie Robertson / The National

Visibility was down to a few dozen metres in many areas. Antonie Robertson / The National

Workers work along the side of the E10 highway in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

The fog affected most parts of the country on Tuesday

Police reduced speed limits on many major roads as the bad weather impacted visibility

Fog is a visible aerosol of minuscule water droplets – like a cloud on, or just above, the ground

The blanket stretched all the way from the coast to deep inland, almost reaching the UAE’s borders in the south

Forecasters issued a red alert as visibility dropped to less than 1,000m, and police warned drivers not to exceed 80kph

First introduced in 2019, the variable speed limit system is activated during bouts of bad weather, such as heavy rain, fog or during sandstorms

Anyone driving faster than 80kph when variable speed limits are in force will be fined

The decision to reduce speed limits made using weather reports, sensors installed on smart gates that estimate the visibility range and reports from police patrols

The fog season begins in mid-December and runs until the end of March, aided by clear skies and calm conditions

Dense fog greeted morning commuters and residents of Dubai as they head out to start the day. Antonie Robertson / The National

Heavy vehicles and trucks will be banned from entering Abu Dhabi city in thick fog.

Abu Dhabi Police said lorries and buses should wait for the fog to clear to avoid accidents.

Drivers who fail to abide by the rules will be fined Dh500 and get four black points.

Foggy mornings continue to disrupt traffic, causing accidents across the country.

One person died and eight others were injured in a 19-vehicle pile-up in Abu Dhabi as heavy fog blanketed the capital on Tuesday morning.

Abu Dhabi Police said the accident was caused by drivers failing to take account of the poor visibility.

The force said motorists did not leave adequate distance between other vehicles, leading to the multi-vehicle crash on a road leading to Al Mafraq.

Police said the person who died was from an Asian country, but did not reveal any further details.

Those hurt in the crash, which involved cars and larger vehicles, suffered minor to moderate injuries.

Speed limits were reduced on major roads in Abu Dhabi and Dubai as thick fog descended across almost the entire country during the early hours.