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The Roads and Transport Authority - Abdul Fattah Haidra:
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is all set to unleash an array of new & creative awareness events marking the start of the new academic year 2015-2016. Most of these events are coupled with scientific metrics to measure the impact generated by these awareness events on students and the educational environment.
"The past academic years witnessed several awareness-raising events run in most of public & private schools in Dubai, but it was sometimes difficult to assess their impact on students' attitudes. Recently we have developed some techniques that help us gauge the impact of those events on the behaviours of students and the realization of the traffic awareness objectives," said engineer Husain Al Banna, Director of Traffic, Traffic & Roads Agency, RTA.
"Awareness events focused on impacting attitudes of road users, including students, need sufficient time in order to assess their impacts on the target groups, contrary to the technical & engineering measures where statistics & figures can deliver direct results on the spot. Awareness events are therefore considered a kind of strategic programs that deliver results over the long run. The awareness activities in schools have proved feasible over the past five years during which no fatal traffic accidents were reported in schools or within surrounding areas.
"The Department has designed several practical questionnaires tailored to different educational stages. Plans are in hand to implement them during the next academic year in classes before and after the launch of the awareness events in order to identify the impact generated by such activities on attitudes and awareness of the student," he explained.
Al Banna commended the cooperation of the Ministry of Education and the Dubai Educational Zone in supporting the traffic awareness programs adding: "Schools and the educational environment in general have a huge role in nurturing an environment conducive to awareness activities and encouraging students to interact and embrace them.
"These sensitizing programs will cover kindergartens and all academic stages in public and private schools. The RTA is committed to its awareness responsibilities in diffusing the traffic culture amongst community members with the aim of reducing traffic accidents, fatalities and casualties in keeping with RTA's vision of Safe and Smooth Transport for All," commented Al Banna.
The Director of Traffic called on bus drivers and parents to be extra cautious & attentive when driving in school zones as most traffic accidents in these areas are attributed to the lack of concentration/attention on the part of road users, or reckless driving.
"The awareness events intended to be run by the Department in schools include transmitting several awareness messages through social media of the RTA such as the Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook as well as in educational blogs often visited by students, parents and teachers. The objective is to showcase necessary steps the student or driver needs to take when heading to or passing by a school," he continued.
On the start of the academic year, the traffic awareness supervisors will focus their visits to schools and nurseries to distribute student-oriented awareness leaflets and ensure that they are transmitted through the school's addressing system and educative lectures. They will also distribute Salama magazine where September issue will include numerous drawings & stories featuring the start of the new academic year and how to avoid traffic accidents. A special edition will be distributed to students marking the start of the new academic year, and guided awareness contests will be made for students aged 4-7 years and 8-12 years.
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© Press Release 2015
