950 accidents on Dubai's roads during Eid holidays

More than 28,000 calls were made to the police control room in the space of just days

A firefighter extinguishing a car on fire. Road accidents are one of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries.
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Dubai Police responded to 950 traffic accidents over the Eid holidays, officers have said.

More than 28,000 calls were made to police during the break but many of them were not urgent, officers said.

Colonel Turki bin Fares, head of the police control centre, reminded the public to call 901 for general inquiries and 999 only for a genuine emergency.

The Eid holidays are one of the busiest times for the emergency services as many families take to the roads and there is an influx of tourists to the country.

Sharjah Police dealt with more than 20,000 calls, including a major accident that caused injuries and significant tailbacks on the first day of Eid.

Lt Col Khalid Al Kai, deputy head of the traffic department, said the front tyre of an SUV burst in the Sajaa area near the Bee'ah waste complex.

“The car swerved and spun out of control and rammed into a lamppost,” Lt Col Al Kai said.

The driver was severely injured and trapped in his vehicle. Another eight in the car suffered moderate injuries.

“Civil Defence teams managed to get him out of the car and he was taken to hospital,” Lt Col Al Kai said.

Officers urge drivers to check their tyres for tears and pressure, particularly in the summer heat. Burst tyres were a factor in more than 100 fatal accidents in 2018.

Abu Dhabi Police said it dealt with more than 32,000 calls from the public during the Eid holidays.

Most were related to minor traffic accidents, traffic congestion or medical emergencies, said Nasser Al Maskari, head of the operations department.