50,000 jaywalkers booked in 2017 by Abu Dhabi Police

Some 50,595 pedestrians were booked for crossing roads illegally in Abu Dhabi in 2017, official figures showed.

The Abu Dhabi Traffic and Patrols Directorate has advised pedestrians to use underpasses, bridges and zebra lines to crossroads and urged motorists to slow down near schools and before pedestrian crossings and give them the right of way.

''Traffic police will keep a close eye on jaywalkers and will maintain zero tolerance against offenders,'' the directorate warned.

The directorate further said it was co-ordinating with stakeholders and partners to ensure the safety of pedestrians by constructing world-class, safe pedestrian crossings on internal roads and highways so as to curb illegal and unsafe practices.

Awareness campaigns will be intensified to educate workers in agricultural, construction and contracting companies as well as those living in workers' cities about the importance of using pedestrian crossings for their own safety.

According to traffic rules, pedestrian’s failure to abide by signals or crossing from the undesignated areas will incur a fine of AED400.

A motorist who fails to give priority to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings will have to pay a fine of AED500 and get six black points on his traffic file, while the fine for stopping the vehicle on a pedestrian crossing is AED400.