Don’t stop your vehicle on road

DUBAI POLICE WARN MOTORISTS TO FOLLOW A VERY SIMPLE RULE — DO NOT STOP ON THE ROAD FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER

Stalled cars claimed 13 lives last year and recently four Filipinos were killed after they stopped on a highway |

T hirteen people were killed and 23 were injured last year in Dubai due to motorists stopping their vehicles on the road, police said.

Dubai police have urged motorists not to endanger their lives and the lives of others by stopping their vehicles on the road, but some still insist on stopping on highways for different reasons. Four Filipinos died on the spot on Friday when their Abu Dhabi-bound vehicle stalled in the third lane of the Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road. According to the police investigation, one of the wheels wobbled and the four passengers came out of the car to check while in the third lane.

Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Director of Traffic Department at Dubai Police, said in case of road emergencies or breakdowns, motorists should always remember not to obstruct traffic flow to avoid accidents. “Despite being a dangerous offence, some motorists still do stop on the road. It’s a simple traffic instruction but people sometimes forget it. Don’t stop a vehicle on the road if the vehicle can still be driven to the hard shoulder,” Brigadier Al Mazroui said.

Regular maintenance

Thomas Edelmann, Founder of Road Safety UAE, said car breakdowns can be avoided if cars are regularly serviced or maintained and if drivers do a pre-drive vehicle check. “The problem starts with people just hopping into their cars and driving off. It is our obligation as drivers to check our vehicle if they are roadworthy,” Edelmann told Gulf News.

Some car problems may be addressed without risking lives.“If, when driving, you have an exploded tyre or a tyre malfunction, go to the right-hand side towards the shoulder or even beyond. If you have a spare tyre, you can fix it there. Either you do it yourself or call someone for help. Because the road is also a danger zone, get the car to safety as soon as possible,” he added.

“If there is a major breakdown, don’t start crawling under your vehicle to check. Call a towing company to get your car moved.”

Edelmann said no moving car will simply break down and stop in a split second, it is not possible mechanically.