Safety with E24|7: Pick-up and drop off rules for schools

With the last batch of schools opening next week, the back-to-school traffic saga is in full swing. In an effort to curb traffic accidents and related deaths, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) has resumed awareness programmes targeting school students in Dubai, as well as drivers and parents.

Several educational and awareness programmes targeting students, parents and drivers have been developed and are emphasised  during seasons when traffic movement in the emirate witnesses some changes, such as the back-to-school season and weather vagaries, said the RTA.

Drivers and parents are called upon to exercise utmost caution while driving in the vicinity of schools to ensure students’ safety and avert traffic accidents.

The main causes of traffic accidents in school areas were misjudgment towards road users, negligence and lapse in concentration as well as reckless and frivolous driving, said Maitha bin Udai, CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency (TRA) at the RTA.

The RTA aims to consolidate public and private efforts to raise traffic awareness among students and several awareness campaigns are held towards that end.

Pick-up and drop off of school children form an essential part of the awareneness efforts, with school bus as well as private vehicle rules and recommendations are touched upon.

Topics of importance are stopping in wrong places, children crossing streets unattended,  students disembarking from the left door of the vehicle (behind the driver), and using the rear door security locks.

The school awareness programme is initiated by the TRA in coordination with the Ministry of Education, Dubai Educational Zone and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, and the RTA cooperates in various ways with Dubai Police, Dubai Health Authority and the Emirates Transport (Dubai Branch) during the campaigns. 

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