The Ministry of Interior specifies 6 safety measures during cold weather

The Ministry of Interior directed individuals to adhere to six safety measures during the fall of hailstones, as it called for a commitment to stay at home and not go out except when necessary, to go immediately to a safe and closed place when outside the home, to park vehicles in a safe place and remain inside them, to cover cars and external property to protect them, to adhere to specified speeds while maintaining a sufficient safety distance between vehicles, and to follow warnings and weather bulletins from official authorities.

She stressed the importance of adhering to traffic safety guidelines to avoid accidents and ensure safe driving on the roads in light of the weather conditions that the UAE is currently witnessing, accompanied by rainfall and weather fluctuations. She explained that the first safety steps begin with reducing speed and adhering to the set speeds, especially with the activation of variable speed systems on the roads, as wet roads reduce the grip of the tires with the road surface, which increases the possibility of slipping and losing control of the vehicle.

For its part, Abu Dhabi Police activated a system to reduce speeds to 100 kilometers per hour on some main roads, including Al Khaleej Al Arabi Road (Musaffah Bridge – Abu Dhabi Airport), Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road (Ghantoot – Al Rahba), and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Road (Falah – Saih Shuaib).

The Abu Dhabi Police Traffic and Security Patrols Directorate called on drivers of delivery bikes to commit to stopping movement and provision of delivery services during volatile weather conditions, stressing its interest in enhancing awareness and early warning to ensure the safety of drivers of motorcycles (delivery bikes) within the strategic priority of “smart road security.”

Director of the Traffic and Security Patrols Directorate, Brigadier General Mahmoud Yousef Al Balushi, said that it is necessary to avoid riding a motorcycle in volatile weather conditions, especially when it rains. He pointed out that the motorcycle was designed to ride on dry roads, and therefore it is unsafe when driven in the rain, because this may lead to skidding and the stopping distance increases to very dangerous limits, which often leads to accidents.

He pointed out that Abu Dhabi Police is interested in enhancing the safety of this category of road users by holding continuous awareness workshops that focus on raising their level of traffic awareness, and are implemented in several languages, namely Arabic, English and Urdu, as part of the directorate’s plans to spread awareness of traffic safety.

He urged drivers of motorcycles (delivery bikes) to be safe when driving in volatile weather conditions, to follow traffic regulations and laws to avoid serious injuries and deaths, to adhere to the route, not to use the phone while driving, to commit to using personal protective equipment, to ensure that motorcycle lights are in good condition and maintained regularly, not to enter prohibited places, and to leave a sufficient safety distance between motorcycles and vehicles to enhance their safety and the safety of road users.

The Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority warned against contacting electrical appliances exposed to the atmosphere during the period of rain, calling at the same time to avoid going to the sea and beaches, going to high places, avoiding standing under trees, staying away from electrical poles, avoiding areas of flowing valleys and pools of water, and not allowing children to play in pools of water.

The Fujairah Police General Command called on members of the community to exercise the utmost caution and caution, coinciding with the weather condition witnessing rain and flowing valleys, stressing the importance of adhering to preventive instructions to maintain public safety, especially in mountainous areas and floodwaters.

She stressed the need to stay away from valleys and watercourses during weather fluctuations, and not to risk crossing them, whether on foot or by vehicle, as this poses a direct danger to life, in addition to the importance of driving with caution, reducing speeds, leaving sufficient safety distances, and adhering to traffic instructions. It also stressed preventing children from playing in places where water collects or near valleys, to avoid any potential dangers.

Ras Al Khaimah Police called on people to deal consciously with weather fluctuations, stressing the importance of staying away from flood streams and low-lying areas, and not allowing children to approach pools of water, in addition to the necessity of adhering to traffic safety procedures and reducing speeds on the roads.

Health procedures and instructions

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection stressed the importance of adhering to a set of guidelines inside and outside the home, including keeping a first aid kit, ensuring the safety of drinking water, avoiding eating foods that have been exposed to rainwater, in addition to installing window nets and using insect repellents.

She called for wearing protective clothing while going out, avoiding driving in places where water accumulates, staying away from flood drains and exposed wires, and parking vehicles in safe places.

She provided three tips and instructions for respiratory patients who require special care to get through rainy weather safely, including staying in a warm and dry place, covering the head and mouth when going out, and visiting the emergency room if symptoms such as blue lips or extremities appear, failure to respond to emergency spray, or worsening shortness of breath and difficulty speaking.