The authorities in Abu Dhabi started installing and operating traffic lights on several sidewalks at pedestrian crossings across Abu Dhabi, addressing a challenge drivers face at these crossings.
The step will facilitate the movement of traffic, regulate pedestrian crossings and reduce congestion, especially during peak hours.
It was noted that intersections where pedestrian traffic lights were installed witnessed smoother traffic flow, both for vehicles and pedestrians, compared to the period before, which saw vehicle congestion due to random pedestrian crossings.
Saeed Ahmed Al Dhahouri said he loved to travel and always visited new destinations to learn about different cultures, adding that through his travels to different countries around the world, he observed that UAE citizens and residents exhibited good manners while driving.
There was a culture of stopping to wait for a woman carrying her children, an elderly person or young teenagers, among others, he said.
He explained that the challenge lay with healthy pedestrians who were accustomed to slow down without any sense of social responsibility, adding that this prevented drivers from reaching their destinations on time and disrupted traffic.
Haitham Anwar Taher, a driver, said the newly installed traffic lights significantly eased traffic flow for drivers and pedestrians, making the streets much smoother, even during rush hour.
He regularly passed the intersection of Zayed The First Street and Saeed Bin Ahmed Al Otaiba Street in Abu Dhabi, where a traffic light had been installed at the side pedestrian crossings, causing the traffic movement to be smoother as the lights regulated traffic.
Mohammed Hassan agreed, saying that installing new traffic lights at pedestrian crossings had a positive and effective role in easing the passage of vehicles and pedestrians alike.
It also helped streamline the process, as pedestrians were now forced to wait for the traffic light and hence prompted them to cross quickly.
The UAE offers a safe traffic system that rivals major countries worldwide. This is because the concerned government entities responsible for regulating traffic in the country do their utmost to provide a safe, easy and smooth traffic system that guarantees safe driving for everyone in an environment surrounded by safety and laws that deter violators.
This is reflected positively on all roads nationwide and can be seen tangibly in the smooth flow of traffic even during rush hours. The efforts of these entities are not limited to enacting deterrent laws, but extend to spreading awareness through field campaigns and patrols across all streets and areas or through official websites and social media sites in multiple languages to address all the nationalities residing in the country.
The latest statistics issued by the Ministry of Interior regarding traffic accidents showed that failing to give priority to pedestrians to cross caused 92 traffic accidents across the country in 2024. These included 37 accidents in Abu Dhabi, 31 in Dubai, 2 in Sharjah, 8 in Ras Al Khaimah and 14 in Fujairah.
Crossing streets from other than zebra crossings caused 68 accidents across the country including 64 in Dubai, 1 in Abu Dhabi, 2 in Sharjah and 1 in Fujairah.
Ministry of Interior’s statistics revealed that 941 run-over accidents were recorded across the country in 2024, with 233 in Abu Dhabi, 478 in Dubai, 96 in Sharjah, 54 in Ajman, 17 in Umm Al Quwain, 29 in Ras Al Khaimah and 34 in Fujairah. A woman sues a man for assaulting her, and the court fines him 15,000 dirhams.
