Dubai: After a long lazy summer, motorists are being reminded to take extra caution while driving near schools as countless students return to classrooms and a melee of people, pedestrians and vehicles converge in school zones all over the country.
Thomas Edelmann, Founder and Managing Director of Road Safety UAE, said on Tuesday that the inevitable crowds gathering at school entrances near roadways can be hectic for motorists to navigate safely.
Drivers must slow down and keep a sharp eye out for unexpected stops, he said.
“With the start of the ‘back to school’ period, the usual scenes of chaotic traffic around schools at drop-off and pickup times are omnipresent again. It is the mix of time pressure and the mixture of dense vehicle traffic, pedestrian traffic, school buses and bicycles which makes the traffic around schools so demanding.”
“The biggest contributor to congestion is parents trying to drop off their kids on time, often very close to the school starting time, as well as picking up students right after the end of school,” he said. “Parents and students should display proper time management by arriving at the school well before it starts and by collecting kids a little while after the end of school, to avoid peak-time congestion. Parents should lead by example and teach their kids about safe conduct.”
Fleets of school buses fanning out across school zones is also a major concern as children often dart in front of oncoming traffic.
When stop signs are employed from the driver’s side of a school bus, motorists must stop to prevent potential tragedy.
“There is also the lack of motorists’ education with regards to dealing with school buses. Despite the fact that school buses are equipped with stop-signs and warning lights which get deployed when school buses stop to allow students to embark or disembark, many motorists ignore those, resulting in dangerous situations,” Edelmann said.
Safety tips for back to school
• Be extra alert and careful when you are driving close to schools
• Watch out for extra traffic guidance and follow the directions of school staff, traffic guides or police
• Drivers dropping or collecting kids must not obstruct traffic
• Obey the yellow warning sign and flashing red lights which engage on school buses when they stop allowing students to get on or off. You must stop to allow safe passage for students
• Be very aware of students appearing in front or at the back of the bus wanting to cross the street.
Be very aware of students crossing the street to reach the bus.
• Watch your speed and be ready to break.
www.roadsafety.com
