The Roads and Transport Authority, RTA, is all set to unleash an array of new awareness events marking the start of the new academic year.

The events are coupled with technical measures to beat traffic congestion in school zones at the beginning of the new academic year 2017-2018.

"RTA’s awareness and technical teams are ready to resume educational programmes and activities in schools and monitor the traffic at light signals. They will adjust the timings of traffic signals to align it with the traffic management requirements in school zones as well as traffic signals in nearby areas," said Eng. Maitha bin Adai, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency.

"Co-ordination was made with schools and kindergartens to organise these awareness activities as part of the students’ traffic safety strategy of the agency, which includes workshops and lectures for students, school bus drivers and parents. The RTA is committed to diffusing the traffic culture amongst community members with the aim of reducing traffic accidents, fatalities and casualties in keeping with its Vision of Safe and Smooth Transport for All.

"These events are intended to keep children safe on the road, maintain our 6-year-old record of zero-fatalities in school zones, improve the traffic behaviour and instil a culture of traffic safety in youngsters and community members. Such efforts concur with the strategic plans aimed to put students’ theoretical knowledge into practice.

"Students and educational zones were accorded utmost attention in the traffic safety strategy, as the number of students in Dubai schools has exceeded 280,000 in 235 schools. Experts at the agency, along with traffic safety and awareness officials, attend to engineering and awareness plans and improve them annually. The great successes that have branded these plans are evidenced by the traffic accident statistics in schools and surrounding areas," she explained.

The CEO of the RTA Traffic and Roads Agency called on bus drivers and parents to observe traffic rules when driving their children to schools, avoid parking in non-designated places, and never leave children to cross streets on their own or get off from the left door of the vehicle. She also advised parents to keep rear doors locked.

Concluding her statement, she called on drivers to fasten safety belts even when driving for short distances as several accidents take place a stone’s throw away from the workplace or house, according to some international statistics.