Sharjah Police have intensified their crackdown on jaywalker following the recent death of two pedestrians in the emirate this October.

“Crossing from non-designated areas remains one of the main causes of pedestrian deaths,” Col. Mohammad Alai Al Naqbi, Director of the Traffic and Patrols Department at Sharjah Police, told Khaleej Times over the weekend.

Al Naqbi strongly urged all road users to use pedestrian crossings, bridges, and tunnels, and to always adhere to traffic signals.

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“Safety is a shared responsibility between pedestrians and motorists. The latest campaign focuses on enforcing pedestrian safety rules and curbing violations through awareness and stricter monitoring,” he added.

Al Naqbi said police patrols and smart monitoring devices have been deployed in key locations, including industrial zones and highways, to detect violators.

Offenders caught crossing from undesignated areas will face a Dh400 fine, in accordance with the UAE Federal Traffic Law. Jaywalkers could face imprisonment and a fine of Dh5,000 to Dh10,000 if the offence results in a traffic accident.

Higher penalties will be imposed on any person who crosses from undesignated areas with an 80kmph speed limit or higher. Aside from imprisonment for a period of not less than three months, they could be fined not less than Dh10,000, whether the violation causes an accident or not.

Two jaywalkers die

The intensified inspections in Sharjah follow two recent incidents in which a 52-year-old Pakistani woman and a 31-year-old Afghan man were killed while attempting to cross roads from non-designated locations in Wasit and Industrial Area 10.

According to Sharjah Police, the first incident took place on October 8 in Wasit area, where the Pakistani woman who was attempting to cross the road was hit by a vehicle. The 52-year-old was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to severe injuries the following day.

The second fatal accident happened on October 9 in Sharjah Industrial Area 10, where a 31-year-old Afghan man was hit by a car. He also crossed the road from a non-designated area.

Al Naqbi underscored that Sharjah Police have been“repeatedly urging residents to follow traffic rules, warning that negligence and unsafe behaviour remain major contributors to road deaths and injuries.”

Stepped-up efforts

Al Naqbi said Sharjah Police have reported a 35 per cent decrease in traffic fatality rate per 100,000 population during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, as part of their ongoing efforts to enhance road safety across the emirate.

“From January to June this year, our intensified efforts have yielded tangible results, including a 35 per cent drop in road fatalities and a 100 per cent on-time response rate to emergency cases, which reflects the efficiency of our teams and systems,” Al Naqbi noted, adding:“We continue to urge residents to follow traffic rules.”

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