A new campaign promoting safe driving and urging motorists to prioritise pedestrians while crossing roads to reduce run-over accidents has been launched by UAE authorities.
Represented by the Federal Traffic Council, the Ministry of Interior launched the first traffic awareness campaign of 2022 under the slogan "Protecting pedestrians and drivers from run-over accidents" to enhance traffic awareness for road users.
The 3-month campaign, which began on February 1, also aims to remind motorists of the need to adhere to traffic rules and prioritise pedestrians using crosswalks to ensure everybody's safety.
Major General Counsellor Engineer Muhammad Saif Al Zaffin, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Operations Affairs, Chairman of the Federal Traffic Council, said that this is part of a series of major campaigns by the Ministry of Interior this year at the state level.
"These campaigns aim at promoting and spreading a culture of traffic awareness in the commitment and adherence to traffic regulations, which guarantee the safety of pedestrians on the roads so as to reduce run-over accidents, injuries and deaths," he said.
Al Zaffin explained that the safety of pedestrians on the roads is a shared responsibility between road users and pedestrians, and road users have a major role in achieving safety through caution and attention and giving priority to pedestrians to cross safely.
Traffic authorities have stressed that drivers need to be tolerant and give way to pedestrians when safe to do so at uncontrolled crossings and near schools and educational institutions.
According to the authorities, drivers should also comply with traffic signals and drive at appropriate speeds, which might be well below the speed limit in the vicinity of pedestrians and crossings.
Not giving way to pedestrians carries a Dh500 fine and six black points.
Residents have also been warned against jaywalking and instead told to use footbridges and zebra crossings designated for pedestrian crossing.
Abu Dhabi Police had earlier said that crossing from non-designated areas of the road is dangerous and one of the main causes of run-over accidents. Jaywalking invites a fine of Dh400.
News Source: Khaleej Times
