Seven passengers were killed and nine others injured in a horrific traffic accident in Dubai, when a minibus crashed into a truck that was said to have broken down on the road in the middle of the Emirates Road. Dubai Police said that the initial investigation has indicated a technical fault caused the truck to come to an unexpected stop. The next few moments were a tragedy, as another minibus that had pulled up behind the car struck the back of the truck at high speeds.
Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, Director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, told the media that an emergency call was made to authorities through the Command and Control Centre and traffic officers, rescue and emergency response teams were swiftly deployed to the place of the incident. The crash reportedly claimed the lives of seven passengers and injured nine on board. Five of the injured were said to be in serious condition; four suffered moderate injuries. All the victims were rushed to the local hospitals for immediate medical aid.
Emergency crews responded quickly to secure the crash scene, sort through traffic and help with rescue efforts. In the meantime, Traffic Accident Investigation Section specialists conducted a comprehensive crash investigation to determine all aspects of the accident. Vehicle breakdowns on high-speed Roads are very dangerous, said Dubai Police. Stopping a vehicle on highways for mechanical trouble, tyre failure or loss of fuel can pose a risk to both vehicle occupants and traffic cops, Brigadier bin Suwaidan said.
Police officers reminded motorists to never start on any trip without maintaining their vehicles. Motorists whose vehicles had crashed were told to immediately turn on their flashers, set up traffic warning triangles, if possible, remove passengers from the vehicles and alert police right away. The accident on Dubai Emirates Road, which resulted in the death of a driver is still being investigated.
