8,000 traffic lights offences caused 231 accidents

More than 8,000 cars jumped the red lights in Dubai in the first six months of 2011, causing 231 serious accidents in wh ich two were killed, according to police records. 

The offences committed at the traffic lights this year are higher than last year but more people were killed in the first half of 2010, the figures showed. 

“Our records showed that 8,001 offences involving jumping the red lights took place in Dubai in the first half of this year,” said Lt Colonel Saif Al Mazroui, deputy director of the Dubai traffic police. 

“We consider that jumping the red lights is the most dangerous traffic offence as it often results in deaths and serious injuries…such offences normally happen when a driver speeds up just ahead of the junction before it switches to red…the result is that the car could either hit another car or pedestrians,” he said, quoted by the semi official daily Alittihad. 

His figures showed the red light offences in the first half of this year caused 231 accidents, resulting in two deaths and 241 injuries. The offences in the first half of 2010 resulted in 264 mishaps that led to 11 deaths and 294 injuries.