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WITH Gulf Traffic Week in full swing across the GCC, Bahrain's police are urging drivers to think twice before taking the kind of actions that result in traffic chaos.
The main focus of this year's event, the 25th of its kind, is to target drivers using mobile phones under the banner 'Ensure Safety - Stop, Then Talk'.
But traffic police bosses are also urging drivers to think twice before proceeding into junctions from which they can't exit, blocking traffic lights, going through red lights and speeding.
A spokesman for traffic awareness head Major Moosa Al Dossary said in the last year 20,821 drivers have been caught going through red lights, 56,808 were caught speeding and 20,014 used their mobile phones while driving.
And while there are frequent complaints about roadworks, which do not come under the remit of the traffic police, he added that police are very aware of the need for enforcement on the new yellow boxes which aim to stop drivers getting onto a major junction when they cannot exit bringing traffic to a standstill.
The spokesman said: "We are currently busy with the Traffic Week campaign but these other safety issues are things we are always aware of, we prosecute people going through red lights and we are always looking at ways to make the roads safer for everyone."
Commuter Ellen Scanlon, from Um Al Hassam, said: "One day last week it took an hour and 20 minutes to get to work and an hour-and-a-half to get home from Isa Town doing a journey which normally takes 25 minutes.
"The problems were mostly due to drivers blocking the road or, in Sitra, refusing to get in the right lane then just pushing in at the last minute when their lane disappears. It would be really good to see police at the junctions handing out tickets to drivers whose lack of consideration makes driving more difficult and less safe for everyone."
