Dubai: More than 1,200 young Emirati students are participating in the ongoing FedEx campaign to educate students about safe driving on the roads.

FedEx Express and Dubai Police launched the 2017 edition of its Driving Skills competition this month to raise awareness of safe driving habits among young Emiraitis aged 18 and above.

The annual, month-long outreach programme teaches university students in the UAE how to drive safely on the roads, with increased awareness of traffic safety.

During the on-track activity, students with valid UAE licences are showcasing their safe driving skills during a timed demonstration.

At the end of the April competition, three men and three women will be crowned road safety ambassadors.

“The Driving Skills competition enables us to teach UAE students to follow the same rigorous adherence to local laws as our couriers and team members do. We aim to contribute towards creating more aware drivers and, consequently, a safer driving environment,” said David Ross, regional president of FedEx Express Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa.

Dubai Police, who are cooperating with FedEx in this campaign, see that young drivers need to be educated seriously about safe driving habits and avoiding reckless driving.

“We want young motorists to know that safety is more important than speeding. Young drivers are a demographic that we need to address very seriously in our role as educators for safe driving,” Colonel Jamal Al Bannai, deputy director of the Traffic Department at Dubai Police, said.

However, officials of the GCC Traffic Week announced earlier this year that 45 per cent of all traffic accidents involved youth, and that fatal accidents increased in 2016 by 7.4 per cent. Distracted motorists are claimed as being the cause of 18 per cent of accidents, followed by 15 per cent due to sudden swerving, 13 per cent due to tailgating, and 10 per cent as a result of speeding. Overtaking other vehicles and jumping red lights were also highlighted as causes of accidents in 2016.

Deema Hussain, Traffic Awareness Senior Manager of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said: “Road safety is more than just in the interest of individual road users, it is an integral component in developing Dubai’s road infrastructure to become world leading. By elevating road safety standards, through increased driver awareness and respect for road laws, we can lower the number of incidents that occur.”

The campaign invites students to an interactive education programme, including lectures and practical activities delivered by specialists and Dubai Police representatives.

Students can experience first-hand what it feels like to be in a rolling car, while learning the importance of wearing a seat belt in simulations.

Speed and tyre safety, as well as everyday driving habits such as not using mobiles and using indicators are also taught.

The 1,200 participating students are from both the men’s and women’s divisions of the Higher Colleges of Technology and Zayed University, as well as students of Manipal University.

The FedEx Driving Skills competition, now in its fourth year, falls under the FedEx global citizenship pillar of road safety.