Abu Dhabi Police release crash videos to show dangers of distracted driving

Abu Dhabi Police have released footage of three car crashes to highlight the danger and severe consequences of distracted driving.

Shared by the force on social media on Friday, the videos show incidents of speeding and cars recklessly switching lanes.

It was not made clear when the accidents took place, but authorities said all three incidents occurred on the same day.

Distraction was the leading cause of accidents last year, contributing to 948 across the emirates.

Abu Dhabi recorded the most cases of distracted driving, at 509, followed by 119 in Sharjah and then Dubai, with 111.

Police regularly post crash footage on social media to remind motorists to abide by traffic rules.

“Engaging in actions like using your phone, tweaking the radio, or even grabbing a tissue can divert your attention and are hazardous,” Thomas Edelmann, the head of the Road Safety UAE group, previously told The National.

“To prevent committing this mistake and the possible accidents it could lead to, it's important to keep your attention on the road, and refrain from any activities that could sidetrack you.”

Road safety in the Middle East – in pictures

Traffic on the King Fahd highway, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The National

Speed limits have been cut on some roads in the UAE to bolster safety.

Heavy traffic in Lebanon's capital city of Beirut. EPA

Omani police inspect the site of a collision between a lorry and a bus in western Oman in 2016 in which 18 people were killed. AFP

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Stormy seas

Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.

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RESULT

Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3
Chelsea: Willian (40'), Batshuayi (42', 49')

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.	United States
2.	China
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8.	Australia
9.	Saudi Arabia
10.	South Korea

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Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

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UAE tour of the Netherlands

UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

Fixtures: Monday, first 50-over match; Wednesday, second 50-over match; Thursday, third 50-over match