‘Build overhead bridges on busy streets, avert accidents’ – ‘Adopt road safety measures’
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KUWAIT CITY, May 4: In this week’s Arab Times online poll, readers weighed in on what is needed to better pedestrian crossings and improve safety. The majority of respondents felt that overhead crossings should be constructed on busy streets.
Passenger and motor vehicles accidents are common in Kuwait and the liability can be attributed to either party depending on the circumstance as well as the present road infrastructure and prevailing attitudes.
The pedestrian environment can be modified to promote safer travel through speed restrictions, pedestrian- only areas, traffic signals, and crossing guards.
An increased presence of road safety measures would lead to fewer accidents. 41 percent of respondents felt that in areas of high pedestrian activity, overhead crossings and walkways were the best solution to curb the phenomenon.
A reader who works in Souk Al Watiya remarked on the need for a pedestrian bridge on Fahad Al Salem Street, “The strip leading to Jahra roundabout receives a high density of people on Fridays and Sundays, many are churchgoers or domestic workers who have their day off. It is not uncommon to have close to four deaths a month on this road and this can be averted by building a bridge for pedestrians to cross. There are numerous cars and buses that pass through the street and although there is some fencing and countdown timers installed, these measures have not alleviated the situation. I think a bridge is the best option and I hope the Kuwaiti government would consider building one soon.”
Another 37 percent of voters believed that traffic signals and countdown timers for pedestrians should be installed at some busy mid-block locations. “People often get confused and panic if they misjudge the amount of time they have to cross a road. A countdown helps pedestrians know exactly how much time is left to cross so they aren’t taking any risks”, a voter shared.
8 percent of respondents felt that better road safety would be established by requiring cars to slow down and let pedestrians pass at zebra crossings. “There is no established road etiquette in Kuwait. We do not know who has the right of way at a zebra crossing. Internationally, cars are required to halt and let pedestrians pass at zebra crossings but this does not happen in Kuwait”, a respondent commented 4 percent felt that an attitude change towards jaywalking was necessary and another 4 percent felt that pedestrian fencing should be installed to stop them from walking across or sprinting through highways.
“There is rampant jay walking in this country. Even when there are bridges for them to walk on safely, you will often see people making a run for it. This behaviour needs to be punished. People should be required to cross only at designated zones, walking some more distance is a small price to pay for order on the roads.”
5 percent felt that crossing guards and traffic policemen must be on duty at busy junctions. “I think you need an authority figure at busy junctions so that drivers and pedestrians will comply to rules. We are very lax when it comes to road safety.”
“There is a great deal of trauma cases that come into the hospital. We as a society should make road safety a priority and take a closer look at traffic behaviour, and on pedestrian deaths. Most of these are completely avoidable”, another reader commented.
By Cinatra Fernandes Arab Times Staff
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