Traffic rules ignored by pedestrians

I was shocked to see people crossing the road and not obeying the traffic rules in Abu Dhabi recently. When the pedestrian signal was red, people were still crossing the road, just to save a few seconds.

Being a responsible resident, I would want people to know more about traffic planning and organisation so that their respect for traffic rules increases.

A pedestrian crossing or crosswalk is a designated point on a road at which some means are employed to assist pedestrians who wish to cross. These areas are designed to keep pedestrians together where they can be seen by motorists and where they can cross safely despite the flow of vehicular traffic.

Marked pedestrian crossings are often found at intersections, but may also be at other points on busy roads that would otherwise be too unsafe to cross without assistance due to a large number of vehicles, high speeds or road width. They are also commonly installed where large numbers of pedestrians are attempting to cross, such as in shopping areas, or where vulnerable road users, such as school children regularly cross.

Pedestrian crossings with traffic signals generally assist and prioritise pedestrians, depending on the locality.

What appears to be just a pedestrian crossing can also be created largely as a traffic-calming technique, especially when combined with other features like a speed bump or a small section of pavement where pedestrians can stop before crossing a road. Research in New Zealand shows that zebra crossings combined with these features were found to reduce pedestrian crashes by 80 per cent.

I hope that after reading my community report, people will respect the traffic laws and follow them.

The reader is a student of Our Own English High School in Abu Dhabi.

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