Dubai schools record zero traffic deaths since 2010, RTA says

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a series of awareness programmes and activities for students, parents and drivers coinciding with the start of the 2026–2027 academic year.

The initiatives are part of RTA’s annual traffic awareness plan, aimed at promoting safe road behaviour, raising awareness of the causes of traffic accidents in school zones and reinforcing traffic safety principles. They also align with the nationwide "Traffic Safety for School Students" campaign led by the Ministry of Interior.

RTA urged parents and drivers to exercise caution around schools, adhere to speed limits, avoid improper and double parking and unsafe overtaking, and use designated areas for dropping off and picking up students.

It also called for greater vigilance at pedestrian crossings and around school buses, particularly during the first weeks of the academic year, when traffic volumes around schools typically increase.

Hussain Al Banna, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency, said, "School students are among the key target groups in RTA’s traffic awareness plans, particularly given the growing number of students in Dubai. We therefore seek to instil a culture of safety from the early school years, with awareness messages and programmes tailored to students’ age and educational level."

Al Banna said RTA’s awareness plans are based on traffic statistics and surveys. During the 2025–2026 academic year, RTA surveyed more than 20,000 parents, with 91 percent saying they used designated student drop-off and pick-up areas in school zones and 71 percent reporting full awareness of the related rules.

The survey found that 44 per cent of students travel by school bus and around 47 percent by private vehicle, while the remainder walk, use public transport, or rely on individual and shared mobility options.

Al Banna said RTA’s awareness and engineering measures, implemented in cooperation with government and private-sector partners, have helped maintain zero traffic fatalities at Dubai schools since 2010.

He stressed the role of families in promoting safe road behaviour by complying with traffic rules, wearing seat belts, respecting pedestrian crossings and speed limits, and avoiding mobile phone use while driving.

He said, "A student’s safety on the daily journey to and from school is a shared responsibility that begins at home and extends to the road, the school bus and the area surrounding the school."

Al Banna urged parents to plan school journeys in advance, allow sufficient travel time and avoid dropping students off in the middle of the road or at undesignated locations. He also warned against double parking outside schools, which can disrupt traffic flow, obstruct visibility and endanger children.

Drivers were urged to reduce speed in school zones, remain prepared to stop at pedestrian crossings, watch for children emerging between parked vehicles and avoid mobile phones and other distractions.

With the start of the new academic year, RTA will resume programmes tailored to different educational levels, including "Hello, My School" for kindergarten and primary school students, "Golden Rules for Generations’ Safety", and "Virtual Driving Licence" for secondary-school students.

RTA will also participate in school events and deliver awareness activities in cooperation with schools and partners.

The programmes use interactive approaches to teach students safe road crossing, proper use of pedestrian crossings and seat belts, safe behaviour when boarding and leaving vehicles and school buses, and the importance of avoiding danger zones around buses and vehicles.

RTA is also continuing traffic and engineering improvements around schools, including upgrades to entry and exit points, pedestrian crossings, traffic-calming measures, road signs and markings.

It is also expanding the use of digital and interactive awareness tools, including educational materials and giveaways featuring QR codes and digital links to visual content and road safety messages.