Dubai Police aim for ‘A Day Without Accidents’ on first day of school today

Dubai: Dubai Police have urged motorists to join the force’s annual awareness campaign ‘A Day Without Accidents’ that aims to ensure the first day of the new school year, August 29, as a day free of traffic accidents.

Launched for the fourth consecutive year, the campaign invites members of the public to join Dubai Police in ensuring the safety of the emirate’s roads by adhering to local traffic laws and regulations. This year, the campaign will be also raising awareness of motorists, parents, pupils and academic personnel on the importance of adhering to the announced precautionary measures against COVID-19.

New slogan

Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, said the campaign this year would run under the slogan ‘Together to make Dubai’s roads safer’. He added that they regularly conduct road safety campaigns targeting all segments of society to reduce traffic accidents and most importantly to protect the lives of road users.

“We’ve been able to remarkably reduce the number of road-related fatalities per 100,000. However, it’s extremely important that we continue to sustain the safety awareness initiatives, particularly during the academic year when our dear pupils are transported,” Brig Al Mazroui said.

Successful campaign

Butti Ahmad bin Darwish Al Falasi, director of Security Awareness at Dubai Police, said the campaign has proven successful over the past three years in achieving zero deaths on the first day of school, increasing traffic awareness among the public, and providing them with the opportunity to join Dubai Police in achieving its objectives of maintaining the safety and security on roads.

Al Falasi stressed that the campaign would raise awareness on the importance of adhering to traffic laws and speed limits, fastening seat belts while driving, leaving a safe distance between vehicles, not using mobile phones while driving, and giving way to pedestrians and emergency vehicles.

Busiest time

With the first week of the school year, usually noted as one of the busiest times on the city’s roads during peak hours, police urged drivers to pay attention to the stop signs on school buses.

Those who do not stop when the bus sign is displayed could incur a Dh1,000 fine and 10 black points.

Since its launch, the campaign achieved its main target of zero major accidents and fatalities. It also succeeded in reducing the percentage of accidents during the first day of the school year.

Take the pledge

The police invited motorists to log on to their official website to sign an online pledge letter in which the driver promises to drive more carefully as part of the road safety initiative, committing to fasten the seat belt, leave a safe distance between vehicles, give way to emergency vehicles, give priority to pedestrians crossing roads, and not use phones while driving.

Motorists taking part in the campaign and keeping up their promises to drive safe and not be involved in an accident will be awarded an appreciation certificate from Dubai Police.