Buses collide near Al Samha, injuring 26

Two buses collided on the Dubai-Abu Dhabi road this morning after their drivers followed too closely, injuring more than two dozen people, officials say.

DUBAI // An early morning collision between two workers' buses near Al Samha seriously injured four workers and hurt at least 22 others, officials said.

The accident occurred at 7am at what is referred to as Al Sameeh intersection on the Dubai-Abu Dhabi road. Officials attributed the wreck to the drivers failing to keep a safe distance between their vehicles and others.

“The buses were full and the accident occurred when not enough distance was maintained," said Col Hamad Nasser al Bulooshi, director of the traffic of outer regions with the directorate of traffic and patrol police in Abu Dhabi.

Twenty-six people with moderate to serious injuries were brought to to the Al Rahba Hospital in Abu Dhabi early this morning.

Four were considered seriously hurt; three were less-badly hurt and 15 had moderate injuries. The rest suffered minor injuries, officials said.

Dr Nellie Boma, the hospital's chief medical officer, said 19 people had been discharged.

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Col al Bulooshi stressed that the traffic police were striving to prevent

, but that responsibility ultimately lay with the drivers, who must follow traffic rules.

“No fatalities occurred in this accident, but there were four workers taken to hospital with serious injuries,” he said. “It took about half an hour to clear up the road ... we did our best to direct the vehicles to alternate roads.”

He stressed the need for people to stick to speed limits, maintain a safe distance, check their tyres and respect other road users.