Abu Dhabi to reduce speeds in poor weather

Abu Dhabi’s transport authority has given the green light for a new safety scheme that will slash speeds on roads during hazardous weather.

The Department of Transport’s traffic safety committee agreed to a plan to cut speed limits to 80kph when visibility for drivers is reduced to 200 metres or less.

Motorists will be alerted to the reduced speed limits by notices on smart towers – structures displaying road messages – on routes throughout the emirate. The scheme will allow authorities to swiftly reduce limits and improve safety with quick effect during fog and dust storms.

A leading road safety campaigner hailed the transport authority for “embracing technology” to make roads safer.

But Thomas Edelmann, managing director of RoadSafetyUAE, said drivers must also be accountable for their own actions when travelling in bad weather.

“It should go without saying that the speed limit has to go

down and the distance between vehicles has to go up when visibility is poor,” Mr Edelmann said.

“This is a great initiative and it is good to see authorities embracing technology to improve road safety and not just talking about it.”

Stephen Levins, 35, from Ireland, a business consultant who regularly commutes between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, backed the move, but was unsure how it would work.

“I am not sure how they will manage this or decide when speed limits can or can’t be decreased,” Mr Levins said.

“Hazardous weather can be a matter of opinion and often comes down to the quality and experience of the driver. Speed limits and rule changes happen quite often but some people are going to drive the way they want to anyway.”

Speed cameras will be adjusted accordingly to penalise drivers if they breach the temporary limits.

The initiative was announced yesterday by the traffic committee. The towers carrying the modified speed limits have been installed on Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Street, on the stretch between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and Sheikh Khalifa Street.

All vehicles will be asked to follow the speed limits until visibility returns to safe levels.

For roads without smart towers, a fixed speed sign with a traffic light will be installed to signal the change in speed limits.

Visibility levels will be monitored using channels such as the National Centre of Meteorology, while visibility sensors will be fixed to smart towers.

The Department of Transport is reminding motorists to keep to safe distances between vehicles and not overtake or change lanes when visibility is low.

In May, police in Dubai said they recorded 400 accidents on a single Sunday when a dust storm swept over the city. Despite the conditions, many motorists continued to tailgate at speed and swerve between lanes, police said.