An African expatriate in Qatar got killed recently after a truck knocked him down on Salwa Road, one of the major roadways in the country.

His body has been moved to the mortuary in Hamad Medical Corporation, Gulf Times reported on Monday. However, it did not clearly mention the circumstances of the accident.

Qatar's streets and main roads have often been criticized for not being pedestrian-freindly. Major roads lack infrastructure for pedestrian crossings and briadges. Some roads do not have footpaths for pedestrians to move safely.

The pedestrian, an Ethiopian in his late 20s, was probably trying to cross the road in a hurry without judging the speed of oncoming traffic, eventually risking his life and the life of the motorists on the highway.

These kinds of accidents have been reported several times, however, nothing significant has been done to curb it yet.

Ashghal recently announced their plans to build 160 bridges before the 2022 FIFA World Cup kick off, but will pedestrians have to risk their lives trying to cross dangerous roads till then?

Qatar need bridges now

Opening of the first pedestrian crossing bridge in Industrial Area was truly another milestone, and surely Qatar needs to build more of those on a daily-basis to put a stop to pedestrians deaths.

This bridge will go a long way in reducing the number of pedestrian related accidents that often ends with serious injuries or even death.

It has been reported that most number of accidents involving pedestrians have occurred in the Industrial Area over the last one decade.

With every new road project, Qatar should also consider building new pedestrian bridges. Once the the bridges are ready, Qatar can even consider imposing fines on the jaywalkers.

Thoughts?