Dhs1,000 fine for obstructing traffic and crowding near fire and accident sites in UAE

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Abu Dhabi Police and the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority have warned of the danger of crowding at fire and accident sites, which is regarded as an unacceptable negative behaviour. Crowding hampers the arrival of ambulance and emergency vehicles, traffic patrols and civil defence as quickly as possible to provide humanitarian assistance to the injured and save their lives, they added.

Stressing the necessity to give way to ambulance and civil defence vehicles, they explained that crowding usually leads to some accidents because some motorists stop at accident sites and curious pedestrian cross streets to reach these sites, unaware of the traffic flow, which cause them to be prone to run-over accidents.

They called on the public to abide by the instructions of traffic agents at accident sites in order to preserve their safety and that of road users, noting that a fine of Dhs1,000 would be imposed on those who crowd in accident sites. The step is aimed at reducing crowding and random parking of vehicles on the roads where traffic accidents occur and prevent traffic jams in accident sites, they said.

They pointed out that crowding by curious people at accident sites as well as photographing the vehicles involved in accidents and posting the photos on social media is an unacceptable behaviour and offenders will be held legally accountable.