Dubai: Abu Dhabi Police have warned that a Dh500 fine will be slapped against drivers who do not come to a complete halt at stop signs.
The traffic safety campaign #Darab_Alsalama (which means Have a Safe Journey) aims at educating motorists on the rules of stop signs located at various intersections across the emirate.
“Failure to stop may cause serious collisions because drivers do not use the intersections properly,” said Abu Dhabi Police.
Motorists were also cautioned to give way to vehicles on the main roads as well as to vehicles coming from internal and service roads.
According to the traffic rule, the stop sign is located near the white line that requires drivers to stop and look both ways for oncoming traffic before entering the main road.
In the American Automobile Association (AAA)’s annual School’s Open – Drive Carefully awareness campaign, motorists can reduce pedestrian fatalities and injuries by following these steps:
- Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 40 km/h is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 16 km/h faster.
- Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
- Eliminate distractions. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing. And children can be quick, crossing the road unexpectedly or emerging suddenly between two parked cars. Some ways to reduce risk include not using your cell phone or eating while driving and putting aside electronic distractions.
- Reverse responsibly. Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, in the driveway and around your vehicle before slowly backing up. Teach your children to never play in, under or around vehicles.
- Watch for bicycles. Children on bikes are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and a bicyclist. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that he or she wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet on every ride.
