Jaywalking drops 96.1 per cent in RAK

Ras Al Khaimah - Only 2 pedestrians caught in 2017, as compared to 51 in 2016

The Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Police recorded a substantial 96.1 per cent drop in the number of pedestrians crossing the road illegally from undesignated zones last year.
Official records show that only two pedestrians were nabbed in 2017 for crossing the road from undesignated cross-walk areas as compared to 51 in 2016.
Brigadier Dr Mohammed Saeed Al Humaidi, director-general of the central operations department, RAK Police, attributed the significant decline to the tireless effort to raise public awareness on this violation.
"So many people - old and young - and of different nationalities, lost their lives after being run over while crossing the RAK roads from undesignated areas in violation of the traffic rules," he pointed out. 
The RAK Police, in collaboration with government and private entities, carried out numerous campaigns in different languages to alert the public on this violation which poses potential risk to one's life, he added.
"The public is urged to strictly cross the road from designated areas to be safe and avert fatal run-over accidents."
The RAK Police will deploy more traffic patrols to ensure road users' safety and compliance with the prescribed pedestrian crossing rules, he underlined.
"As per the latest amendments introduced to the federal traffic law, a fine of Dh400 shall be slapped on those nabbed while crossing the road from undesignated areas or failing to abide by signals."
Drivers are also urged to slow down close to zebra lines and give priority to pedestrians, Brig Humaidi said.
"Failure to give walkers way on the pedestrian crossings shall be penalised, with a fine of Dh500 and six black points."
Stopping a vehicle on the pedestrian crossing shall draw a fine of Dh500, he warned. 
Early this January, a young Asian man, in his thirties, succumbed to fatal injuries he received after he was run over by a speeding car opposite Al Hamra Mall. The erring driver was found driving a car with an expired registration.
A 10-year-old Emirati boy sustained injuries after he was run over by a car while crossing the road to get a ball he was playing with. A 35-year-old Emirati man was also killed after a car ran over him on at the Khuzam district.
A few days back, the Ras Al Khaimah civil court of appeal ordered a driver from the Gulf region to pay Dh450,000 in compensation to an Arab woman who suffered an 80 per cent disability after he had erroneously ran over her.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• Ras Al Khaimah