A number of dangerous road accidents were recorded in Dubai during just three hours of heavy rain on February 04, 2019. The reckless driving behavior of motorists has been identified as a major reason behind these accidents as motorists failed to comply with road safety practices. Motorists have been warned by authorities to avoid committing dangerous driving mistakes that can result in serious road accidents.
Dangerous road accidents can be easily avoided if motorists develop a careful driving mindset and attentive driving approach. Additionally, there are some essential road safety practices that motorists should follow to drive safely on waterlogged roads in heavy rain.
Official Statement on the Recent Rain-related Accidents
Rain-related accidents mostly occur due to careless driving behavior of motorists and have been amongst the major reasons behind road fatalities in the UAE. There were no deaths or injuries recorded in the recently recorded 66 road accidents, however, the sudden rise in accidents during just three hours of heavy rain is a worrying sign for authorities. These accidents were recorded between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM on Monday as traffic authorities remained on a high-alert to manage emergency situations effectively.
Brigadier General Dr Khalid Al Marri, Acting Director of Operations Room said that the Dubai Police received as many as 1,812 calls during the three hours of heavy rain. He said that motorists should avoid applying sudden brakes while driving through the tunnels as most of the accidents were caused due to this easily avoidable driving offence.
Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, Director of General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police urged drivers to leave safe distance between vehicles as a vehicle requires additional braking distance on slippery road conditions in heavy rain. He also advised motorists to cooperate with authorities to maintain a smooth flow of traffic whenever heavy rains hit Dubai. He said that driving challenges increase for motorists during heavy rain, which is why motorists should be more cautious to avoid dangerous road situations. He also mentioned that Dubai Traffic Department is well-equipped to take precautionary measures in challenging weather conditions.
#News | 66 traffic accidents reported in #Dubai during rainy weather
Details:https://t.co/QHrKH5tKk1#DubaiPolice#YourSecurityOurHappiness #SmartSecureTogether pic.twitter.com/HiJEiMs9iP
— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) February 4, 2019
Also read: What Can Motorists Learn from Recent Torrential Rain in Dubai?
Tips for Driving Safely in Heavy Rain
It is important for motorists to follow safe driving practices to avoid dangerous road situations in bad weather conditions. The risk of dangerous road accidents increases significantly in heavy rains as commuting challenges increase for motorists in such weather. Therefore, it is important for motorists to be more careful and considerate in their approach whenever they have to drive in heavy downpour. It is the responsibility of motorists to ensure that they make their best effort to avoid dangerous driving mistakes that can have potentially fatal consequences on busy roads.
Listed below are the tips for driving safely in heavy rain:
- Don’t forget to turn on your headlights in heavy rain as visibility can decrease significantly, which can make driving extremely challenging.
- Avoid over-speeding and aggressive driving as slippery road conditions can make it difficult to control a vehicle at high speeds. Driving at high speeds can result in hydroplaning (a phenomenon in which a vehicle at high speeds starts to float on water), which can increase the level of difficulty in maneuvering a vehicle on waterlogged roads.
- Don’t panic and maintain attention on the road if the vehicle starts to float on water. One should ideally reduce the speed significantly and continue driving at a slower speed whenever faced with such a situation.
- The risk of a vehicle spinning out of control on waterlogged roads increases massively if a vehicle has old or worn out tyres. One should always keep a check on the condition of tyres and replace them if they have experienced excessive wear and tear. Regular maintenance of car tyres can increase their life span and make driving safe, regardless of the weather conditions.
- Always leave safe distance from the vehicle ahead as it can potentially help in avoiding a rear-end crash. In heavy rains, a vehicle needs additional stopping distance as traction decreases on waterlogged roads, which is why motorists should always leave a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. In this way, motorists can avoid applying sudden brakes and minimize the risk of a dangerous road accident.
Also read: Safe Driving Tips for Young Drivers to Avoid Road Accidents in Heavy Rain
Drive Safe Motorists!
Despite all the efforts of traffic authorities to ensure road safety of commuters in heavy rain, many dangerous accidents were recorded in the recent downpour. While it is understandable that driving challenges increase significantly for motorists in such weather conditions, there can be no justification for committing easily avoidable driving mistakes.
Authorities have warned motorists against committing such mistakes in heavy downpour and advised them to cooperate with authorities for maintaining a smooth flow of traffic. It is the responsibility of motorists to ensure that they follow safe driving practices and remain calm in challenging driving conditions to help authorities in making Dubai roads safe for commuting even in the most challenging weather conditions.
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