5 injured as fog causes 4 pile-ups in RAK

Ras Al Khaimah - The four pile-ups happened due to fog involved 26 vehicles.

Five people were injured in four pile-up traffic accidents involving 26 vehicles on Ras Al Khaimah roads, due to the dense fog early morning on Tuesday.
Colonel Ali Saeed Al Alkeem, Director of Traffic and Patrols department with RAK Police, said all the four mishaps took place on the Shaikh Mohammed bin Salem road in the early hours because of the foggy weather.
"The first of these involved the collision of five vehicles, in which four passengers were injuried. One received serious injuries while two sustained moderate wounds and the fourth was slightly injured," Col. Ali Saeed Al Alkeem said.
The second accident also happened on the same arterial road when four vehicles rammed into each, injuring one passenger.
"The third 11-vehicle pile-up, the biggest collision of the day, occurred on the same road, but luckily no one was injured," the director of traffic and patrols department added.
The fourth and final pile-up involved six vehicles, and had no injuries, Col Al Alkeem said.
Major-General Ali Abdullah bin Alwan Al Nuaimi, Commander-in-Chief of the RAK Police, has ordered more than 30 traffic patrols to be deployed across the internal and highways of the emirate during the morning peak hours to ease and ensure traffic flow. "Drivers need to be more cautious during the dense foggy weather because of low visibility."
Further urging motorists, he said all drivers need to ensure that the front windshield and all the car windows are clean before heading out. "The lights and signals must also be clean and working properly to avoid any accidents."
Keeping a safety space between vehicles, reducing speed, and observing the lane rule are critical at all times, particularly during foggy weather, Col Al Alkeem stressed. "Poor overtaking is also one of the main causes of many accidents," he added.
- ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• Ras Al Khaimah