Bahrain is considering introducing penalties for jaywalking, under a new parliamentary proposal that aims to ‘enhance road safety’ and align the kingdom’s pedestrian laws with several other nations.
Jaywalking is when someone illegally crosses a street and will likely face a fine. Generally, pedestrians must use designated crossings and abide by walk signals that indicate when they may or may not cross.
The term originated in the US, referring to an ignorant or reckless person (a ‘jay’) who walked in a dangerous way.
The initiative in Bahrain is being spearheaded by the Strategic Thinking Bloc, a group of five MPs committed to long-term policy reform.
The proposal is led by Bloc president and chairman of Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee, MP Ahmed Al Salloom, and has already attracted support from outside the bloc, including independent MPs such as MP Muneer Suroor.
“Jaywalking not only endangers lives, but also disrupts traffic and causes unnecessary accidents,” said Mr Al Salloom. “This proposal is about fostering a culture of responsibility and awareness.”
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