A classroom on wheels for bus safety

Dubai: School students will soon be able to hop on to a classroom on wheels that will educate them about safe transport experience through a series of 3D games, interactive sessions, puzzles, fun quizzes and much more on board a purpose-built Smart Safety Bus.

Launched on Sunday by Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority Dubai (RTA) and developed by School Transport Services (STS), the UAE’s leading private school transport operator, the awareness initiative has a 50-seater school bus transformed into a fun zone for students.

Inside the bus, students will find an interactive wall, which gives students the ability to take the Safety Pledge, get involved in games such as Safe Road Crossing, Stop Means Stop and access to a 3D gaming area for them to drive a virtual school bus and become a ‘Super Driver’.

“The Smart Safety Bus programme highlights the hazardous spots in and around the bus that automatically sound off alerts when students approach them. Students are offered a thrilling practical experience of buckling up the seat belt. Various educational videos on traffic safety are shown in a fun way with questions to assess students’ understanding of the information provided,” said Maitha Mohammad Bin Adai, CEO of the RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency.

The bus will kick start its roadshow in March 2019, visiting 30 schools across the UAE in the first phase.

Dedicating a couple of days in a week for each school, depending on the school’s requirement, the awareness programme aims to cover all UAE schools in various stages.

“We have a responsibility to educate road safety to all road users and promote the importance of wearing a seat belt. The Smart Safety Bus is one element of our extended classroom programme and commitment to educating the wider community and creating safety advocacy among children,” said STS Managing Director, Steve Burnell.

Once on board all visitors will be briefed by safety specialists, shown videos on safe practices and have the opportunity to play on the interactive safety games. Before leaving the bus, all students will be asked to take a safety pledge committing them to always wear a seat belt and always think ‘safe‘ when on roads.

The programme targets all ages ranging from kindergarten to secondary schoolchildren and the bilingual (Arabic and English) content varies in levels of information and difficulty to ensure the bus is relevant to all children.

Smart Safety Bus

■ 3D games

■ Interactive wall

■ Edutainment videos

■ Seat belt wearing contest

■ Safety Quizzes

■ Safety pledge