Jaywalkers are not only a danger to themselves; they also threaten the safety and lives of anyone who uses the roads.
Motorists are often forced to swerve or break suddenly to avoid hurting or killing pedestrians who do not use designated street crossings or suddenly dash across roads. This can result in fatal traffic accidents.
So, the move by Abu Dhabi traffic police to crack down on pedestrians who recklessly endanger lives on the road is necessary to make the streets of the capital safer. Recently, the traffic police revealed that 2,754 jaywalkers were fined in a single week. In the first 19 days of July, five pedestrians were run over and killed, while another three were seriously injured in the capital. This is not acceptable.
Effective monitoring of streets and firm enforcement of the law will deter jaywalkers from risking their lives and those of others. Furthermore, motorists must always be alert and respect pedestrians who have the right of way.
