A TRAFFIC policeman was fined QR5,000 for jumping a red light and hitting a car – causing severe injuries to a Qatari driver. The Doha Court of First Instance also ordered him to pay, jointly with his insurance company, QR45,000 compensation to the injured man. The accident took place on the evening of December 30, 2006 as the traffic officer responded to a report of a scuffle breaking out close to the Khalifa stadium. As he raced to the scene in his Toyota GX the policeman jumped a red light at Manaseer junction, thinking the way was clear. He was mistaken and instead he hit another vehicle, flipping it over and sending it spinning into a signpost. Although the law allows traffic officers responding to a call to jump red lights it insists that due care is taken to avoid other road users. In his defence, the officer told investigators that he had taken time to check for on-coming traffic, but a clear view was obstructed by nearby lampposts, some of whose lights were off. The traffic cop said he also tried to avoid the coming collision once he realised his mistake but the speed at which he was travelling made it impossible. Following the smash, the victim – who had been driving his family at the time – was taken to hospital in critical condition suffering from severe head and facial injuries. His left hand was also badly disfigured by a double fracture. The court was told that the man received further medical treatment abroad at the expense of the Qatari government. A medical report presented to the court estimated the man had received damage to 30% of his body as a result of the crash. Finding the traffic officer guilty in absentia, the court declared that “had the accused been careful he would have seen the victim’s car which was driving on the correct route”. GT LOL WTF?!

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