According to the latest statistics of the General Traffic Department, about 243 run-over accidents occur annually in Kuwait, Al Anba reported.
In a press statement the department noted that most pedestrian accidents claim lives because of negligence and failure to comply with traffic regulations, including when people do not cross the road on pedestrian crossings, which is a violation of the Traffic Law.
Traffic accidents are a cause for grave concern as they cause loss of life and severe human injuries that sometimes lead to permanent disabilities, in addition to damaging public and private property.
In past years, many such accidents occurred on highways, or on streets in front of schools, markets and other places. Children are the majority of victims as a consequence of parental neglect, including those who depend entirely on servants to accompany their children while crossing the roads.
The statement noted that relevant authorities were working on providing more bridges for pedestrians, especially on highways, but even now, many pedestrians ignore these bridges and violate the law by crossing the highway, which poses a threat to their lives and the lives of others and disrupts traffic.
The Penal Code and the Traffic Law stipulate that pedestrian accidents that cause deaths is classified as a premeditated murder to be possibly punished with a death penalty or life imprisonment according to the circumstances of each case. The driver may be accused in unintentionally run-over cases for wrongful death, while the guardian will be charged with negligence of a minor if it is proven negligence when the accident involves a child.
In the past years, the judiciary issued several rulings exonerating drivers of vehicles who were involved in running over pedestrians causing their death, as it was proven to be the fault of pedestrians who failed to follow traffic regulations, and willfully crossed the roads and streets while the vehicle drivers abided by the Traffic Law and were unable to avoid running over the people.
In an effort to reduce these accidents and preserve lives, pedestrians are urged to only cross on the pedestrian crossing designated for crossing the roads, and parents are obligated to monitor their children and not allow them to cross the streets by themselves. Drivers, on their part, have to be vigilant and attentive, and avoid using their phones while driving.
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