Dubai: A security camera caught an Asian man intentionally jumping in front of a bus and committing suicide, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.
The incident happened two months ago on Umm Suqeim Road in front of Dubai Police Academy.
Major-General Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, head of the Federal Traffic Council and Assistant Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police for Operations Affairs, said the incident was first recorded as a run-over accident but when they checked the CCTV footage, the police found that the bus driver was innocent and that the jaywalker didn’t give him a chance to avoid him.
“The clip showed the deceased standing on the pavement, hesitating for some time and then crossing the road, but he returned to the original point and in the end, threw himself in front of the bus on the left lane. He jumped on the road just like a person jumping into a swimming pool,” Maj-Gen Al Zafein said.
Investigators suspected that it was not an accident as there were no signs of impact on the front bumper of the bus. “It was strange as the bumper didn’t even have a scratch. He was lying flat on the ground and the tyres went over him.”
However, the bus driver was confused and told police that he was following the speed limit when the deceased jumped in front of his vehicle. “His testimony was different from what we saw in the clip. The Asian man didn’t run in front of the bus but jumped and was lying flat on the road before the bus ran over him,” Maj-Gen Al Zafein said.
The police recorded 171 run-over accidents in the first half of this year, resulting in the death of 20 people and injuries to 164 others as compared to 192 accidents during the same period last year when 29 people were killed and 169 others injured.
Maj-Gen Al Zafein said some run-over accidents were caused by jaywalkers, especially on highways.
“It is like committing suicide especially on highways with speed limits up to 140kph. Nobody can imagine a person surviving death or injury when he crosses a six-lane highway,” Maj-Gen Al Zafein said.
He urged motorists to be careful when they see jaywalkers standing on the side of the road trying to cross from non-designated places. “Drivers should be prepared all the time to make the right decision. The rate of run-over accidents is still worrying despite the many awareness campaigns carried out by Dubai Police reaching out to thousands of people. In a way, jaywalking is part of the person’s culture, especially among some Asian nationals,” Maj-Gen Al Zafein said.
According to the law, the driver will not be held responsible and no compensation can be claimed if the jaywalker is responsible for the run-over accident. Then the incident is registered as a case of suicide.
