Dubai’s RTA launches short film competition for students

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a new competition aimed at university and postgraduate filmmakers, encouraging them to create short films that address the causes and risks of traffic accidents.

The initiative, called the Road Safety Film Festival, is designed to raise awareness about road safety among young people.

The competition features three categories, with first-place winners in each receiving certificates of achievement, recognition, and cash prizes. The categories focus on key traffic challenges: sudden lane departures, driving distractions, and unsafe behaviours involving bicycles and electric scooters.

Submissions will open on 7 April 2025 and close on 14 July 2025. Participants can submit their entries through the competition portal on the RTA website at rta.ae/roadsafetyfilmfestival, where they can find detailed information on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and submission guidelines.

The competition is open to university students aged 18 to 35, with entries accepted individually or in teams of up to three members. Multiple entries are allowed, provided that all films are original and made by the students or teams. The goal is to create films that contribute meaningfully to road safety awareness.

Ahmed Al Khzaimy, Director of Traffic at RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency, explained: “The competition empowers students to showcase their creativity through impactful films that promote traffic safety within the community.”

 “RTA has allocated cash prizes for the top three winners in each category. This aligns with the objectives of Dubai’s Traffic Safety Strategy, which emphasises raising awareness among school and university students — particularly those in university, who are a capable and active segment of youth,” he added.

“The film topics were selected based on traffic statistics that show lane departures and distractions as leading causes of fatal accidents. The third category addresses the rise in unsafe behaviors among bicycle and e-scooter users,” Al Khzaimy concluded.