Traffic signals to blink five times before turning red

Manama : In a bid to reduce accidents at junctions, traffic signals will flash five times before turning red to alert oncoming motorists.

The new system was approved by the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee in the House of Representatives yesterday.

It follows a proposal submitted last year by MP Mohammed Al Maarifi and four other MPs, hoping to reduce traffic accidents and violations at intersections.

According to the proposal, traffic signals at the main intersections in the Kingdom would be adjusted to “blink” five times before turning red to notify approaching drivers that they have to stop soon.

Al Maarifi told DT News earlier that “the traffic signals systems in the kingdom need to be updated by implementing new techniques that aim at reducing accidents and traffic violations at crossroads”.

He affirmed that his proposal would reduce the number of accidents caused by the sudden stopping of drivers when traffic signals turn from green to yellow.

The committee’s endorsement yesterday is considered as one the final stages of approving the proposal, which was passed by the Cabinet on August 14, 2017.

Committee Deputy Chairman Khalifa Al Ghanim said in a statement released here yesterday that committee members reviewed the proposal with Interior Ministry, Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry and the Public Utilities and Environment Committee in the Council.

The Council of Representatives will soon vote on the proposal after discussing it with the representatives of the ministries during one of their upcoming regular weekly sessions.