Don’t panic when cruise control fails
AUTHORITIES URGE MOTORISTS TO KEEP CALM, CALL THE POLICE AND FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS
Police have urged motorists to stay calm if their car’s cruise control malfunctions and to follow a series of steps to resolve the problem.
The tips came after the Abu Dhabi Police rescued an Emirati whose vehicle’s cruise control system failed while he was driving at 130 km/h last Friday on the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain road.
The driver managed to get in touch with the police on the phone, while still driving, and the authorities deployed 15 patrol cars and two ambulances to prevent any collisions. They later stopped the car.
Last March Lt Colonel Abdullah Ali Beshwa, Director of the Land Rescue Department in Dubai police, said cruise control failures had happened three times in Dubai up to that point this year, but nobody was injured.
One person was injured in an accident last year caused by defective cruise control.
Using cruise control is a great way to control your speed when driving on highways. Setting your vehicle’s cruise control on a reasonable speed will also reduce fuel consumption by preventing sudden accelerations and decelerations.
Be aware that it is not a good idea to use cruise control if you are prone to suffer from driver fatigue. Many drivers feel that being able to relax their legs while driving and not having to closely monitor their speed increases their likelihood of becoming fatigued at the wheel.
However, Lt Col Beshwa said that motorists should always stay calm and not panic in such a situation.
“In case the cruise control jams, drivers should calm down ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
August 2018:
A woman driver whose cruise control got stuck avoided an accident with the help of the police, who intervened with safety-stop measures to halt her car on the highway. She called the police when her cruise control failed on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road on the way to Ras Al Khaimah.
March 2018:
Dubai Police helped three motorists who suffered cruise control failures this year. All three incidents occurred in three new luxury cars, but the police managed to rescue the drivers with their timely action. Two of the incidents happened on Mohammad Bin Zayed Road.
Traffic police intervened after the cruise control of an Emirati motorist’s vehicle failed while he was driving at 120km/h on Maliha Road en route to Sharjah, preventing any accidents.
May 2017: September 2016:
Traffic police saved an Emirati man whose cruise control failed while driving at 112km/h on Maliha Road on the way to Sharjah.
October 2014:
Police rescued an Emirati family whose fourwheel drive vehicle’s cruise control system got stuck at 136km/h on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road. The Emirati driver called the police when he could not slow down.
Traffic police saved an Emirati woman whose cruise control failed while she was driving her SUV on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road on the way to RAK.
Traffic police saved an Emirati man whose cruise control failed in his four-wheel vehicle, while driving at a speed of 139km/h on Maliha Road on
August 2014: July 2013:
and pump the brake several times. Put the vehicle in neutral several times, and also close and open the electric windows in order to release the cruise ■ ■ Keep calm and make sure your seat belt is on
Put on the hazard lights.
Call 999.
Put the gear on Neutral (N), then try to switch off the engine using the key.
For keyless models, keep pressing the ‘start’ button until the engine turns off. the way to Sharjah.
An Emirati woman was saved by police patrols in Dubai while driving on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road. The 20-year-old said she lost control of the car when the cruise control failed at high speed.
July 2013: February 2013:
An Emirati mother of three saved the lives of her little daughters, sister and housemaid when she lost control of the car after its
control. Contact the police as soon as the problem occurs, for more instructions,” Lt Col Beshwa said.
The Dubai Police said the
If that fails, push on the brakes firmly and steadily until the car eventually stops.
If the previous method also fails, slowly pull up the handbrake while firmly holding the steering wheel.
If that also fails, change the gear setting from Neutral (N) to Drive (D) repeatedly. cruise control failed at a speed of 138km/h on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road en route to RAK. She rammed her car into other vehicles in front, in order to stop her car.
RAK Traffic and Patrol Department’s Rescue division aided a man whose cruise control failed at 120km/h on Emirates Road, on the way from Umm Al Quwain. One of the rescue team members drove in front of the speeding
August 2012:
reason behind cruise control failure is due to poor maintenance of a car.
Motorists should inspect their vehicles periodically, ■ it is important to watch the road carefully.
Cases of cruise control failure reported in Dubai this year
To decelerate, either tap the appropriate button on the cruise control system or quickly apply the brake.
As a safety precaution, almost every model of car will deactivate the cruise control as soon as the brake is applied. 4WD in an attempt to cause a collision and slow it down to regain control. But the driver decided to veer right into a sand hill and stopped the vehicle.
Police rescued an Emirati man after his 4WD lost cruise control at 160km/h. The motorist activated the cruise control mechanism on the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain highway, but= couldn’t turn it off later.
February 2012:
maintain a safe driving speed, fasten seat belts, be alert and contact the police emergency number immediately if they face an issue.