Jaywalking puts lives in danger, warns top Dubai official

Dubai: A traffic court has warned pedestrians not to endanger their own lives and those of others by jaywalking after a farmer was fined for crossing the road at an undesignated spot on Tuesday.

The Dubai Traffic Court of First Instance fined the 42-year-old Sudanese farmer, identified as B.A., Dh100 after Presiding Judge Dr Ahmad Hussain Al Mutawa' incriminated him of failing to adhere to traffic laws.

B.A. was charged with endangering his and others' lives by crossing a highway at an undesignated spot which is considered a breach of articles 4 and 57 of Federal Traffic Law No 21, (1995) and its bylaws.

Disrespect

The head of Dubai's Traffic Public Prosecution Salah Bu Farousha, told Gulf News after the verdict: "Regarding jaywalkers [pedestrians who disrespect and offend traffic laws and regulations by crossing a road from an undesignated spot], we do not hold a motorist liable if he/she runs down a jaywalker if the interrogation reveals that the driver abided by the speed limit."

Bu Farousha added jaywalkers are held responsible once it is proved the accident happened against the will of the driver.

A police patrol caught the accused , B.A., crossing Al Khail Highway from an undesignated spot in a dangerous manner. He was taken to the police station before being forwarded to court. He confessed to the charge during the litigation process.

Bu Farousha said their intention was to educate motorists and pedestrians and acquaint them with the traffic law which is being enforced for everyone's interest.

Statistics show that 80 jaywalkers were prosecuted in 2006 and 170 in 2007. In 2006, 120 pedestrians were killed on the roads.