Police send some 1,500 fines per year to drivers refusing priority to pedestrians. The figure is reported in several Dutch-speaking press publications on Monday.
A pedestrian always has priority on a pedestrian crossing. However in fact, this rule is often not applied. The finding comes out of figures from the Minister for Justice, Koen Geens (CD&V). The number of fines, which individually can go up to €174, are however significant.
Stef Willems from Vias explains, “Many drivers simply do not care.” He goes on, “By this behaviour they are not ignoring the law, but simply refusing to be courteous. They find it annoying to have to brake before applying the accelerator again and say, ‘Somebody else will stop anyway.’”
Available statistics show that a third of all accidents, involving pedestrians, take place on a pedestrian crossing.
The Brussels Times
