Sharjah: Sharjah Police have dispatched special patrols to deter jaywalkers in a bid to curb fatal run-over accidents, an official said on Sunday.
The patrol fleet, called Esnad, comprises 12 units and officers are on alert to spot and prevent jaywalkers from making the dangerous dash across the road at undesignated points.
At least eight Sharjah pedestrians have been killed this year while crossing the road from an undesignated area, Gulf News reported earlier. In 2014, at least 15 pedestrians were fatally run over.
In the last month, Sharjah Police have prevented 3,250 pedestrians from jaywalking as part of a new road safety campaign, said Captain Jamal Bu Afra, director of Sharjah Police’s traffic monitoring section.
Lieutenant Suad Al Sheba, an official at the media and public relations section of Sharjah Police’s traffic and patrol department, added that pedestrians are the focus of the campaign.
Esnad officers will also distribute leaflets on safe crossing practices.
Some pedestrians complain they are forced to cross from undesignated areas because of a lack of designated crossings.
Al Sheba said Esnad is on duty to guide pedestrians to the nearest crossing. Motorists, too, are being urged to take preventive measures and give way to pedestrians at crossings. Some drivers fail to stop or slow down at crossings, especially if they are not signalised.
Pedestrian crossings on King Faisal Street, a busy six-lane road, were recently refurbished as part of road improvement works stretching two kilometres. The major road reopened in both directions last week to traffic and allowed pedestrians to cross again. A metal fence has been installed on a section of the road where jaywalking was common, near the Abu Shaghara area.
“I’m glad the crossings are more prominent in appearance. The fence will also stop jaywalkers now. You feel more confident and safe crossing the street, especially if you’re with children, when there are such facilities for us,” Indian pedestrian S.K. said.
“But we still need pedestrian crossings in other areas, like Al Taawun. Every day many people put themselves and motorists at risk trying to cross Al Taawun Road,” he said.
The new campaign is being held under the theme ‘Pedestrian Safety is Our Responsibility’. Safety booklets in Urdu, Arabic and English — languages commonly spoken in the UAE — are being distributed. Translators are also available to help pedestrians who speak different languages understand the safety tips. The police media section is also posting safety messages on its social media accounts.
“If police witness people trying to cross the road at undesignated areas, they will stop them and guide them to the allocated pedestrian crossing zone. We will help pedestrians to cross from designated areas by stopping the traffic until they cross the road,” Lt Al Sheba said.
There will also be hefty fines for offenders who breach road safety laws, he added, without specifying the values. Lt Al Sheba said the focus was on prevention and raising awareness regarding jaywalking rather than on fines.
