Sharjah: An 18-year old Moroccan girl, identified as K.H., died on Wednesday morning after being run over by a car while crossing a road in Sharjah.

According to the Sharjah Police, the girl died of multiple injuries suffered in the accident, which took place on Al Murqab road.

The girl was on her way to the Heira beach for her daily morning walk. The accident took place while she was trying to cross the road at a place not allocated for pedestrians.

Earlier this month two Indian university students died after they were hit by a speeding vehicle while crossing a road in the Buhairah Corniche area.

The operations room at Sharjah police received information about the accident at around 8am after which Anjad patrols and ambulance rushed to the scene of the incident.

Autopsy

"Our ambulance team arrived on the scene but [the victim] had already died on the spot," said Captain Khalid Al Kay, deputy director of traffic department at Sharjah Police.

According to the police, the motorist who hit the victim was an Asian woman. A concrete roadside barrier collapsed in the accident and two other vehicles also collided, the police said.

An eye witness told Gulf News that the girl was crossing the road in front of an Emarat patrol station when she was hit by the vehicle.

"She was trying to cross the road towards Heira beach, but was hit by the vehicle. The girl was thrown up in the air and landed on a concrete barrier. Her face was covered with blood," the witness said.

The body of the girl was transferred to Kuwaiti hospital for autopsy to be handed over later to her family, the police official said

Police have detained the motorist and the case will be taken up by the Public Prosecution. She will be released on bail and the trial will take place in the Sharjah Traffic court, the official said.

Capt. Al Kay urged all pedestrians and motorists to adhere to traffic rules and give way to pedestrians crossing roads. Deaths of pedestrians have alarmed the police and residents alike leading to demands for pedestrian overbridges in Sharjah.

Residents complain

"Pedestrians risking their lives while crossing roads are a common sight. There must be pedestrian overbridges or zebra crossings with signals so that they can cross safely," a resident said.

"In the absence of a bridge or a crossing, drivers may not be able to control their vehicles or stop suddenly. The authorities must pay attention to this."