A legal expert has called on Dubai residents to be aware of traffic laws around pedestrian crossings as rules, fines and penalties apply to both drivers and pedestrians. This came after a Dubai court fined a motorist and a pedestrian after a run-over accident, as per Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm.
The motorist was fined Dh3,000 for endangering the safety of others, and the pedestrian, Dh200 for crossing from an undesignated area.
In the UAE, pedestrians are required to use zebra crossings, bridges, or subways to cross roads. Failure to do so is punishable with a Dh400 fine. In the case highlighted above, the court showed leniency while issuing guilty verdicts against both.
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Jaywalking can have fatal consequences, the Dubai Police have highlighted multiple times. Eight people were killed and 339 injured in run-over accidents last year, as people crossed the roads from undesignated places. Nearly 44,000 pedestrians were fined for jaywalking in 2023.
Legal expert Abdulrahman Al Qassem warned that traffic laws apply to both motorists and pedestrians. “Even if I, as the pedestrian, am crossing from an undesignated area, the driver bears the responsibility to be careful and look out for me,” he told Khaleej Times.
Earlier this year, a driver and two jaywalkers were fined after an accident in Dubai left the pedestrians injured. The Dubai Traffic Court convicted the Arab driver for failure to adhere to traffic rules, while the Asian pedestrians were penalised for crossing from an undesignated area. The driver was fined Dh2,000 and the pedestrians Dh400 each.
At designated crossings, failure to give pedestrians priority is punishable with a Dh500 fine and six black points.
In an interview with Khaleej Times recently, a Dubai Police official said motorists have to wait till a pedestrian has crossed the road completely. Some motorists accelerate after pedestrians cross a part of the road.
“However, drivers should wait until the pedestrian has completely crossed before proceeding, or they will be fined,” the officer said.
The police use smart devices to monitor offences at pedestrian crossings. “The offences are recorded on video and double-checked by the police before the fines are issued.”