Nine killed and 248 hurt by rear-end collisions in Dubai over six months

Police urge drivers to use their vehicles' distance sensors and maintain a safe distance from the car in front of them

This accident in 2018 left three people dead when a minibus collided with the back of a lorry. Such accidents continue to cost lives. Photo: Dubai Police

Nine people were killed and 248 were injured in 350 rear-end collisions in the first six months of this year, Dubai Police said.

The force said the accidents were caused by motorists who failed to keep a safe distance from the car in front of them.

The police statement said 14,084 motorists were fined for the offence.

Brig Jumaa Bin Suwaidan, deputy director of Dubai Police’s Traffic Department, said most of the crashes happened during traffic congestion or on motorways.

“Tailgating can be extremely risky and causes dangerous crashes,” he said.

“Driving too close to the car in front of you can make the other driver tense or the traffic could stop suddenly — in both situations, it becomes difficult to avoid collisions.”

“Dubai Police was able to bring down the number of traffic accidents over the years by analysing the causes of the accidents, carrying out awareness campaigns and using advanced detecting technologies.

“But in addition to understanding the penalty of the traffic offence, motorists really need to comprehend its grave consequences for all road users, including themselves.”

Last year, there were 553 tailgating accidents, causing 24 deaths and 405 injuries. Of these, 203 accidents happened in the first six months which resulted in 10 deaths and 160 injuries.

Motorists caught tailgating are fined Dh400 and have four traffic points added to their driving licences.

Brig Suwaidan urged drivers to use their vehicles' distance sensors and to always maintain a safe distance from the car in front of them.

“The sensors are for your safety, but some motorists believe they cause annoyance and therefore deliberately disable them. It's wrong.”

Fatal accidents in Dubai last year — in pictures