Fog driving warnings issued by UAE police after more crashes

Morning fog on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai motorway near Ghantoot shows how badly visibility can be affected. Pawan Singh / The National

ABU DHABI // Heavy fog led to a second morning of crashes and pile-ups on Monday.

A 15-car pile-up on Sheikh Zayed Road near Al Samha resulted in one driver suffering minor injuries, while 20 cars were involved in an accident on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in Umm Al Quwain, but no injuries were reported.

On Sunday, two Syrian women and a girl died when their car veered in front of a lorry in Hatta.

And eight other accidents and pile-ups on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai injured nine people and damaged 70 vehicles.

Police have urged motorists to be cautious when driving in foggy conditions, which are set to continue on Tuesday morning.

Col Mohammed Al Mazroui, head of Abu Dhabi traffic police, urged transport companies to encourage drivers to abide by road laws, especially in the fog.

And Lt Col Jamal Al Ameri, also of the traffic police, said on Monday that accidents could be avoided if drivers increased space between vehicles and reduced their speed.

“Motorists should always keep a safe distance between cars and adjust their speed to the weather conditions,” he said.

“Allow extra time for your journey and check your planned route. It’s also advisable to wait for the fog to clear until visibility improves.”

Lt Col Al Ameri reminded drivers to use their fog lights rather than hazard lights, which can confuse other drivers.

“Hazard lights should not be used by drivers when their vehicles are still travelling forward,” said Dino Kalivas, the International Road Federation chairman of driver education and training.

“They are designed to be used when the vehicle is stationary, indicating that the road ahead is blocked.

“When the hazard lights are on, any intended change of direction the driver takes cannot be signalled to other drivers, and this is most dangerous.”

Excessive speed and aggressive driving are the main reasons for accidents in fog, said Glenn Havinoviski, a transport expert in Abu Dhabi.

“More drivers are aware of fog issues in light of prior accidents and the stepped-up enforcement activities,” Mr Havinoviski said. “But it only takes a few aggressive drivers – speeders and drivers weaving between lanes – to cause problems.”

Mr Kalivas identified steps drivers could use to improve safety for themselves and other road users.

“Make your vehicle more visible, turn on your fog lights,” he said. “If your vehicle does not have fog lights, it is recommended to turn on your parking lights because the main headlight beam can create a bright reflective haze and reduce your visibility.”

Drivers are also advised to clean windows, mirrors and windscreen before starting their journey.

“Plan your trip more carefully and avoid driving during times of heavy fog, early-to-mid morning, if possible,” Mr Kalivas said.

“Leave extra distance between yourself and the vehicle in front and try to anticipate that vehicles will slow down and increase their speeds according to the visibility.”

Drivers should not be distracted by mobile phones and taking pictures of the fog. Instead, they should concentrate on their driving, wear their seat belts and ensure passengers were wearing theirs.

“Always scan the road well ahead, anticipate what may be ahead, be patient and acknowledge that you will need extra time to arrive at your destination,” Mr Kalivas said.

The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology said relative humidity would increase over Monday night and Tuesday morning over some coastal and internal areas.

The centre said there would probably be fog, especially in the northern areas.

Tuesday will be fair and partly cloudy, with a slight increase in temperatures in some inland areas.

The centre’s website says relative humidity overnight will lead to mist in some coastal and inland areas.