Pedestrians in Bahrain could gain greater protection on the roads under a municipal proposal designed to make crossings safer and easier to use.
Southern Municipal Council chairman Abdulla Abdullatif is leading the move after examining several international systems that could potentially be adapted for Bahrain.
He believes the model implemented in Taiwan offers a useful starting point, but stressed that Bahrain should adapt the system and not simply copy international practices blindly.
At the heart of the proposal is a clearer system governing pedestrian priority at crossings, alongside traffic signals that give people enough time to cross safely while maintaining the efficient flow of vehicles.
“The Taiwan model is appealing because it gives pedestrians a clearly recognised place within the road system while making motorists more aware that crossings are areas where they must exercise greater caution,” Mr Abdullatif said.
“Pedestrian and cyclist movements are clearly identified on the road surface, with markings and symbols guiding people towards designated crossings.”
While he sees merit in many aspects of Taiwan’s approach, Mr Abdullatif said pedestrian countdown timers, which are commonly used there, may not be suitable for the kingdom. He argued that such timers may encourage people to rush across at the last moment, which could prove dangerous.
Instead, he believes pedestrian signals could incorporate a five-second flashing warning at the end of the crossing phase, similar to the warning sequence used for motorists at Bahrain’s traffic signals.
“The pedestrian should know clearly when it is safe to cross and when that phase is coming to an end,” he said. “A five-second flashing period could provide that final warning.”
Mr Abdullatif praised Taiwan’s traffic authorities for strengthening pedestrian right-of-way rules, requiring motorists to yield to pedestrians at crossings and introducing substantial penalties for failing to do so.
“The Taiwan experience is particularly valuable because of the way it combines infrastructure, road markings, signalling and driver awareness,” he said.
“It is not a single feature that we are looking at. Rather, it is the way these elements work together to make movement for pedestrians and cyclists more visible and predictable.
“We should take the best aspects of the model and build on them for Bahrain. Our roads, traffic volumes, climate, urban development and pedestrian habits are different, so any final system must be tailored to local conditions.
“There is much we can learn from a model that places such a strong emphasis on making pedestrians visible, crossings easy to understand and motorists more conscious of their responsibilities.”
He believes the goal is straightforward: roads should work not only for those behind the wheel, but also for those crossing them on foot.
“When a pedestrian reaches a crossing, both the pedestrian and the motorist should immediately understand what is expected of them.”
The council’s technical committee chairman Ali Al Shaikh welcomed the concept, while warning that any system would need to be adapted carefully to Bahrain’s existing facilities.
“We have to look at our roads, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and facilities and determine what can realistically be implemented,” he said.
The proposal, unanimously approved by the council, will be forwarded to Works Minister Ibrahim Al Hawaj for review. It comes as Bahrain aims to step up measures to boost road safety.
The GDN earlier reported that traffic accidents claimed 76 lives in Bahrain last year, with men accounting for more than three-quarters of the fatalities.
According to the Information and eGovernment Authority’s Bahrain Open Data Portal (data.gov.bh), the kingdom registered 968 accidents across the four governorates. Sixty-six accidents resulted in the deaths of 76 people – 66 men and 10 women. Meanwhile, 399 accidents resulted in slight injuries and 503 saw serious injuries.
According to the data, most of the fatalities (14 cases) occurred because the drivers involved in the collisions failed to leave a safe distance between vehicles. Ten accidents were caused by driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or a combination of both. Reckless driving was responsible for nine incidents, while eight accidents occurred after drivers ran a red light. Six incidents resulted from unsafe lane changes.
Additionally, five accidents took place when drivers failed to give way to pedestrians who had the right of crossing. Conversely, four incidents were attributed to pedestrians not adhering to traffic regulations.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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