Doha: Ministry of Interior warned road users of violations of crossing red signal and over speeding, which are considered among the most common reasons of road accidents that cause loss of many lives and properties.

As part of the ongoing traffic awareness campaign under the title “Accident-free Summer” the General Directorate of Traffic held a press conference today morning to announce the activities around the fifth week’s focus.

Director of the Awareness and Information Department at the General Directorate of Traffic Col. Mohammad Radhi Al Hajri told that the violations of crossing of the red signal will be subject to a fine of QR 6,000 and 7 points, stressing that the ultimate goal of the General Directorate of Traffic is to ensure safety, and what is relied on it is to prevent the offenders who don’t obey the law, through a fine commensurate with the seriousness of the violation, and the consequent serious accidents.

The head of traffic planning section at the Roads Engineering Department, Captain Mohammed Misfer Al Hajri, stated that the statistics for the first and second quarters of the current year showed an increase in the number of violations due to over speed with 51,000 violations and 6,700 violations of signal crossing.

Speaking to the media he added that all traffic signals in the country are smart signals, acting through the “sensor”, that respond to the traffic condition in the signal, while there are specific times that take into account the capacity of the road and the rate of flow of cars on it.

Regarding the over speeding the Article 53 of the Law states that motor vehicle drivers shall abide by the following; not exceed the maximum speed limit for motor vehicles on the road. Drivers of police vehicles, and ambulances and fire-fighters responding to an emergency are exempted, as is any driver of a vehicle transporting patients or seriously injured persons provided they use an alarm and hazard lights and slow down as much as possible for the safety of traffic at junctions. The law also states to reduce speed when approaching pedestrian crossings and residential areas, turnings, bends and ramps, and junctions, roundabouts, bridges and tunnels, and when entering public squares, or approaching schools and hospitals, to ensure road safety.

In addition for road users to control the vehicle and adjust their speed according to the circumstances, road conditions, the state of the vehicle and its load and the weather conditions, so that speed can be reduced or the vehicle can be stopped if necessary.