The UAE authorities initiated a new campaign encouraging safe driving and urging motorists to give right of way to pedestrians when crossing roadways to avoid run-over accidents.

The Federal Traffic Council under the Ministry of Interior, launched the first traffic awareness campaign of 2022. The three month campaign was launched on February 1 with the tagline "Safety of Pedestrians and Drivers from Run-over Accidents," to raise traffic awareness among road users.

The campaign makes an attempt to educate motorists of the need of following traffic rules and giving pedestrians the priority while using crosswalks.

“At uncontrolled crossings and near schools and educational institutions, drivers must be patient and give way to pedestrians when it is safe to do so”, according to traffic authorities.

According to the Police, drivers should also obey traffic signals and travel at acceptable speeds, which may be significantly below the speed limit in the proximity of pedestrians and crossings. A fine of Dh500 and six black points will be slapped on drivers who do not give way to pedestrians at such crossings.

While the drivers have been advised to make way for pedestrians, the pedestrians have been earlier warned about jaywalking. Pedestrians have been advised to use designated pedestrian crossings such as footbridges and zebra crossings.

A recent announcement by the authorities had made jaywalking an offence and could attract a fine of Dh400.

تحت شعار "سلامة المشاة والسائقين من حوادث الدهس" ⁰⁰ "الداخلية " تطلق حملة التوعية المرورية الموحدة الأولى لعام 2022 ⁰⁰ MOI launches the first unified traffic awareness campaign in 2022⁰⁰ https://t.co/iIkUDmezdc

#التوعية_المرورية pic.twitter.com/q6dPxECGSo

— وزارة الداخلية (@moiuae) February 2, 2022 

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