One student died and 11 were injured after a vehicle swerved on a Dubai highway and flipped over. Such was the impact of the swerve that the car crashed into an iron barrier and overturned in a sandy area on the side of the Hatta-Lahbab Road.

A police source told Khaleej Times that 12 students — all believed to be Asians — were packed into the car. Violating the passenger limit in a car is a punishable offence in the UAE.

"Initial investigations suggest the accident was caused by speeding, negligence and lack of attention on the driver's part. This led to the driver losing control over the vehicle … One of the students died, while the injured students were transferred to hospital for treatment,” said Maj-Gen Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, acting commandant assistant for Operations Affairs. The police described the nature of injuries as mild to moderate.

Maj-Gen Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, acting commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, urged parents to ensure that their children are transported safely to and from schools. Some parents use unlicensed services offered by drivers for this purpose. Back in May this year, a 7-year-old boy died inside a car in Sharjah after the student was left inside by an unlicensed driver.

Maj-Gen Al Mansouri also reminded drivers to not violate a car’s passenger limit. He warned about the risks of driving when feeling extremely tired and exhausted. “Driver fatigue after long work hours diminishes focus and impairs reaction speed due to exhaustion.”

Maj-Gen Al Mazrouei said speeding, sudden manoeuvres, and driver negligence are major contributors to accidents.