Dubai Police have warned motorists against stopping on the road shoulder without necessity, urging drivers to move their vehicles to the nearest safe parking area outside the roadway in case of a breakdown or emergency.

Authorities stressed that unjustified stopping on the road shoulder is a dangerous traffic violation that can lead to serious accidents and disrupt traffic flow on busy highways.

The warning comes after a fatal run-over incident on Sheikh Zayed Road before the Al Yalayis Bridge heading towards Abu Dhabi, where a person lost his life after a vehicle stopped unsafely on the left road shoulder.

Brigadier Juma bin Suwaidan, Director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, said the incident occurred after two vehicles were involved in a collision. Both drivers stopped their vehicles on the left road shoulder next to the first fast lane — an area where stopping is prohibited except in emergency situations due to the risks involved.

According to Brigadier bin Suwaidan, one of the drivers exited his vehicle to inspect the damage caused by the collision. At that moment, another vehicle approaching from behind encountered him on the roadway.

“Due to the vehicle’s speed and the short distance, the driver was unable to avoid him, resulting in the victim being run over and dying at the scene,” he explained.

Brigadier bin Suwaidan noted that excessive speed and failure to maintain a safe following distance contributed to the severity of the incident. He urged motorists to adhere to speed limits, remain attentive to road conditions and anticipate unexpected situations on highways.

He also emphasised that Dubai Police will continue enforcing strict penalties against dangerous traffic behaviours that endanger lives and property.

The traffic official further explained that stopping on the road shoulder is considered a serious violation that can lead to severe accidents, causing injuries and fatalities.

“The road shoulder is designated strictly for emergencies such as sudden vehicle breakdowns or medical emergencies and must not be used for any other purpose,” he said.

Brigadier bin Suwaidan also highlighted the importance of raising driver awareness about avoiding such behaviour except in exceptional circumstances. He advised motorists to move their vehicles to the safe right side of the road when possible and avoid stopping in dangerous locations on highways.

UAE authorities have announced an update to the National Early Warning System, introducing changes to the alert sound schedule.

From 9am to 10:30pm, the existing high-tone siren will continue to signal the start of an alert, while the standard text message tone will indicate that the alert has ended.

From 10:30pm to 9:00am, the standard text message tone will be used for both alert notifications and all-clear signals.

Officials said the system will remain fully operational to ensure timely public safety alerts reach residents when needed.

Authorities added that the early warning system is a key component of the national preparedness framework and urged the public to follow any official instructions issued alongside alerts to help ensure their safety.

Flights between India and key Middle East hubs like the UAE are gradually resuming after days of disruptions caused by regional airspace restrictions linked to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

Airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air, have begun restoring limited operations to major airports such as Dubai International Airport, King Abdulaziz International Airport, and Fujairah.

The phased resumption follows several days of cancellations that left hundreds of passengers stranded across transit hubs in the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Air India, IndiGo announce additional flights

Air India said it has scheduled more than 30 additional flights yesterday (March 8) connecting Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah to help bring stranded travellers back to India.

The airline has also announced a capacity expansion with 78 additional international flights between March 10 and 18, adding 17,660 extra seats across routes linking Delhi and Mumbai with cities in Europe, the United States, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

According to Air India’s CCO Nipun Aggarwal, the additional services are aimed at ensuring passengers continue to have reliable travel options despite global aviation disruptions.

Meanwhile, IndiGo confirmed it has restarted flight services to Europe and is currently operating from eight cities in West Asia, while closely monitoring the evolving security situation before restoring a full schedule.

The airline said it plans to operate 17 departures covering 34 flight sectors to eight Middle East destinations.

Government says over 50,000 Indians have returned

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said that more than 52,000 Indians who were in transit or on short-term visits in the Middle East have returned home between March 1 and March 7.

Of these, 32,107 passengers travelled on Indian carriers, while additional flights are planned in the coming days to assist more travellers.

Authorities said domestic and foreign airlines have worked together to ensure the safe return of Indian nationals amid ongoing airspace restrictions across the Gulf and West Asia.

SpiceJet adds relief flights

To help clear the backlog of stranded travellers, SpiceJet has also added extra services between Fujairah and several Indian cities.

The airline said the additional flights are aimed at assisting passengers affected by sudden cancellations earlier in the week and easing congestion at Gulf airports where travellers were waiting for onward connections.

Travel advisory for passengers

Airlines have urged passengers to check their flight status online before heading to the airport and ensure that their contact details are updated in booking records to receive real-time notifications about schedule changes.

With inputs from TOI, IT, ET