wen:26-04-2006
More than 40 pedestrians killed on Abu Dhabi roads every year
Police to increase campaign as well as penalties for offenders
Careless driving and walking are the two biggest killers on Abu Dhabi roads, claiming an average lives over 40 pedestrians and injuring over 400 every year, according to the traffic and patrolling departments records.
Colonel Gaith Al Zaabi, Director of Abu Dhabi traffic and patrols department said that 294 pedestrians were killed and 2,960 injured on Abu Dhabi roads from 199 to 2005.
The causalities among pedestrians are huge as compared to other type of causalities .most of these pedestrians were killed while trying to cross streets in the city and its suburbs. The department has taken measures to contain this by increasing the pedestrian crossings at various junctions with the help of Abu Dhabi municipality, Colonel Zaabi said.
He said that the traffic department has increased its awareness campaign among pedestrians and motorists on the dangers of careless crossing of city roads. The campaign also includes stopping pedestrians caught crossing roads at undesignated places and penalizing them. The penalty for unauthorized crossing is dh50.
The department also has increased the deployment of patrols on various commercial areas to prevent the pedestrians crossing roads through wrong places .the patrols also tell the pedestrians about the safe crossing of roads and distribute leaflets containing safety measures to be followed while crossing roads. He added.
