Monday, September 9, 2013

Abu Dhabi Police Launches “Students Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility” Campaign


Al Harithi Inspects Traffic Flow around Schools

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Sunday, September 8th 2013 [ME NewsWire]

Brigadier Eng. Hussein Ahmed Al Harithi, Director of Traffic and Patrols Directorate at the Abu Dhabi Police, inspected the flow of traffic at major intersections in Abu Dhabi City this morning. He also surveyed areas around public and private schools on the first day of the new school year.

Al Harithi said: “Deploying traffic patrols at intersections and around schools limits traffic jams.” During his tour, he inspected traffic flows, educated parents on the appropriate methods for children to board and exit vehicles and buses, and explained ways to guarantee that children can safely cross streets. 

Al Harithi announced the “Students Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility” campaign at the Khalifa City “A” School. Hameed Abdullah, Head of Students Affairs Department at the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), was present. The campaign, which covers the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is organized by the Abu Dhabi Police in cooperation with ADEC. 

He toured the school’s different classes and congratulated students, their parents, and the educational and administrative boards for the beginning of the new school year. He stressed the Abu Dhabi Police’s commitment to ensuring the safety of students and preventing traffic accidents. He urged students to follow the “Golden Rule” for using school buses. “Namely, moving 10 steps ahead of the bus when exiting the bus and avoid bending down near the bus without the driver’s knowledge,” he explained. Al Harithi presented traffic gifts including school bags and awareness leaflets.

Al Harithi, Hameed Abdullah, and the school’s education board handed traffic awareness letters to pupils to be delivered to their parents. The letters call upon parents to take part in the campaign and follow traffic laws and regulations. Al Harithi also honored four parents for following traffic regulations outside the schools. Winners were chosen by traffic patrols.

The Director of Traffic and Patrols Directorate warned parents against allowing their children to descend from the left side of the vehicle, urging them to follow laws and regulations and to let them out of the right door of the vehicle only. He called upon parents to drop kids off at designated areas, and ensure their children cross the road at the designated areas and to keep an eye on them while they are doing so.

Al Harithi called on parents to park properly and avoid blocking secondary and main roads in addition to urging them to refrain from causing traffic jams in front of schools.  He also stressed the safe practice of placing children under 10 years old in the back seat of the car.

He also advised schools and institutions responsible for pupil transportation to refrain from overloading school buses, while providing a seat for each child. He stressed traffic control, saying that each violation will be fined. He reiterated the need to inspect the mechanics of their buses and equip them with safety requirements.

Al Harithi stressed the importance of providing supervisors, one male and one female in each bus, to supervise the entry and exit of pupils in safe places near their homes. Supervisors are also responsible in making sure kids are not picked up or dropped off in places far from their homes, or on the other side of the road in order to avoid having them cross streets.

Al Harithi said that the campaign has launched dedicated pages on the website of the “Abu Dhabi Program to Put a Limit to Traffic Accidents.” Links are found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube: facebook.com/UAETSchool; twitter.com/uaeTschool; instagram.com/uaetogether; youtube.com/UAETogether.

The website features information on the campaign and awareness programs, as well as awareness films. The campaign includes visits and lectures in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and the Western Region. Around 200 lectures will target students, drivers and bus supervisors. A total of 150,000 copies of brochures and coloring books will also be distributed as part of the campaign, in addition to gifts, traffic toys, schools bags, and other school supplies.

Al Harithi said: “This year, we are presenting new awareness initiatives. These initiatives will be carried out under the sponsorship of Al Futtaim Motors. They will run throughout the year as part of the Abu Dhabi traffic program to put a limit to traffic accidents ‘Together’ on social media websites such as: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. These initiatives aim to spread traffic awareness among all societal categories.”

“The new initiatives will include the launch of traffic activations that targets students across all school levels. It aims to engage them and raise their traffic awareness. It has three main aspects:  traffic research, which includes a traffic film produced by students, a traffic photo album and traffic flyers; a traffic gallery; and an awareness idea that will help educate students. The directorate has devoted valuable awards for winners,” he added.

The programs include producing five educational traffic films that focus on traffic safety rules such as: crossing roads and using seatbelts in addition to the “Golden Rule” for using the school bus. Additionally, the programs will broadcast awareness messages via digital radio on Facebook. This radio program is prepared by students, educational boards and parents. The 10-minute-per-month program aims to enhance traffic awareness, as well as broadcasting traffic awareness messages and ways of building a safe traffic society.

For more information about:

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Abu Dhabi Police, please click HERE

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Photo Captions:

Photo 1:Brigadier Al Harithi distributing gifts to pupils

Photo 2:Al Harithi and Hameed Abdullah talking to pupils

Photo 3: Al Harithi and Hameed Abdullah with pupils in a classroom

The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

Contacts

The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media

Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317

E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com

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