Deaths caused by run over accidents in Abu Dhabi drop

Col Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, deputy head at the directorate, attributed the 11 per cent drop to a long-term plan to enhance road safety in coordination with Abu Dhabi Municipality and the Department of Transport.

ABU DHABI // Forty-eight pedestrians were run over and killed last year, compared to 54 in 2014, statistics from Abu Dhabi Police’s traffic directorate reveal.

Col Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, deputy head at the directorate, attributed the 11-per cent drop to a long-term plan run in coordination with Abu Dhabi Municipality and the Department of Transport.

Such accidents were mainly caused by pedestrians’ poor judgment and negligence by motorists who do not give priority to people crossing the road, he said.

In total, 16,894 drivers were fined for not giving way to pedestrians at zebra crossings, while 58,067 pedestrians were fined for jaywalking.

Not giving way to pedestrians carries a Dh500 fine and six black points. Those caught stopping on crossings and obstructing pedestrian movement face a Dh200 fine and three black points. The penalty for pedestrians crossing roads at undesignated spots is Dh200.

“Pedestrians should use the designated crossing points properly, obey any signals at controlled crossings and be vigilant,” said Phil Clarke, principal road safety consultant at British consultancy Transport Research Laboratory.

“Drivers need to be tolerant and give way to pedestrians when safe to do so at uncontrolled crossings, comply with traffic signals and drive at appropriate speeds, which might be well below the speed limit in the vicinity of pedestrians and crossings.”

Abu Dhabi Police also announced that road traffic deaths caused by speeding decreased in the emirate by 27 per cent last year compared to 2014. Speeding contributed to 49 per cent fewer serious injuries in accidents.

More radar and surveillance cameras in accident-prone areas and increased efforts to prevent motorists from speeding have led to the decline, said Brig Khalifa Al Khaili, deputy director of the Abu Dhabi Police traffic directorate.