Dubai: Dubai Police issued 64,620 fines to jaywalkers, an increase from 61,391 in 2014.
In 2015, 46 people died in runover incidents across Dubai, an increase from 39 in 2014. In 2013, the death-toll for run-over accidents was 46.
These statistics came at the launch of Dubai Traffic Police’s annual “Cross Safely Campaign”, which will run for three-months, to raise awareness on the dangers of crossing roads from undesignated areas.
Col Jamal Al Bannai, Acting Director of Dubai Traffic Police said that this is one of their most important awareness campaigns, which will help Dubai Police reach their target to have zero fatalities for every 100,000 people by 2020.
“The campaign is aimed at all members of public, but will focus on labourers, as they are most at risk of these accidents,” he said.
The fine for crossing the road from undesignated area is Dh200.
Dubai Police will be distributing brochures in six different languages and will be conducting lectures in universities, labour camps and also lecture taxi drivers, Col Al Bannai said.
The brochures are in English, Arabic, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu and Malayalam.
There will also be awareness messages on social media and radio stations as well as awareness booths in malls.
In 2015, more than 26,500 people benefited from 70 lectures and in 2014, almost 24,000 people benefited from 61 lectures.
Al Bannai added that it is “important that people always cross from designated areas, stand safely away from the street, look at both directions before crossing, and avoid reading or using their mobile phones when walking.”
The campaign was launched on Wednesday at the Arabian Center.
