One person died and eight others were injured in a 19-vehicle pile-up in Abu Dhabi as heavy fog swept through the capital on Tuesday morning. Abu Dhabi Police sent out a safety warning to the public after the fatal accident was caused by drivers failing to take account of the hazardous weather. The force said motorists did not leave adequate distance between other vehicles, leading to the multi-vehicle crash on a road in Al Muqatara, 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. 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 1,000 metres and police warned drivers not to exceed 80kph. Police announced speed restrictions had been lifted shortly after 10.30am as the thick shroud of fog started to clear. Abu Dhabi Police urged drivers to be vigilant during periods of low visibility. Road users were urged to abide by speed limits and maintain safe distances from other vehicles during challenging driving conditions. The UAE has been engulfed by fog in recent days during a prolonged spell of cold weather at the start of the year. Police in Dubai said at least 24 accidents were reported across the fog-hit emirate's roads on Sunday. Police dealt with two major accidents and 22 minor incidents over a three-hour period from 6am. Calls to the emergency number increased by 30 per cent compared with the same period a week earlier, when no fog was reported.
