Dubai - The objective of the events is to ensure that schools are free from traffic accidents.
Published: Sun 8 Sep 2019, 2:40 PM
Last updated: Sun 8 Sep 2019, 8:10 PM
With the onset of the new academic year, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has introduced several technical measures to curb traffic congestions in school zones in Dubai in line with its awareness drive targeting both students and motorists.
The agency commissioned about 251 surveys at school areas and carried out several safety measures resulting in the implementation of 849 directional signs, 160 traffic calming devices, and 36 pedestrian crossings.
Maitha bin Adai, CEO of RTA's Traffic and Roads Agency, said: "Dubai Traffic Safety Strategy dedicates considerable weight to the mobility of students in terms of improving the safety of pedestrians or diffusing sound traffic culture among drivers. Students-oriented awareness efforts are an integral part of the Back-to-School campaign of Ministry of Interior."
RTA teams launched awareness events in schools, monitoring traffic at school zones and adjusting signals to ease traffic movement in nearby areas. "Our traffic safety and awareness experts plan and review the awareness of the technical plans on an annual basis, which had been very successful in reducing traffic incidents in school zones over the past years," she noted.
Slew of activities
The activities include awareness advertisements for drivers across Dubai's streets and social media in addition to visuals at customers' happiness centres as well as service centres of support entities. Awareness teams intensified school visits and distributed leaflets to students. School broadcasting systems, lectures and Salama magazine (September issue) will be used to support these efforts.
"The trial phase of the Smart Safety Bus accomplished last February has raised the traffic awareness of students aged 6 to 14," the RTA official pointed out.
"The objective of these events is to ensure that schools are free from traffic accidents and maintain the eight-year record of zero traffic fatalities within school zones. Events also aim to instill a safe traffic culture among the upcoming generations and the community, she said. This drive is in line with the strategic plans aimed to transform students from recipients of knowledge into individuals capable of implementing knowledge," Bin Adai added.
"We call on school bus drivers and parents commuting their children to schools to comply with traffic regulations and avoid parking in prohibited places or leaving kids to cross the road unescorted. Students must not be allowed to alight from the left door of the bus, and have to remain buckled up even during short trips. Global statistics reveal that many accidents take place nearby workplaces or homes of motorists," Bin Adai said.
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