COVID-19 UPDATE: BACK TO SCHOOL ‘Safety Protocol’
Check out the STS Back to School ‘Safety Protocol’ POSTER and the VIDEO.
Unfortunately, we experience a lot of bad behavior around schools when it comes to picking up or dropping kids. We also must display the safest driving behavior when encountering school buses.
How to do it right – around schools
- Be extra alert and careful when you are driving close to schools, kindergartens and universities!
- We might experience a lot of traffic around schools, especially in the mornings and early afternoons.
- Watch out for extra traffic guidance and follow the directions of school staff, traffic guides or police!
- Drivers dropping or collecting kids must not obstruct traffic:
- Care for other motorists like you want to be cared for!
- Park your vehicle safely and even if a few steps away from the school – a few steps are good for you and your kids!
- Don’t park in non dedicated areas or in the 2nd lane
- Parents to be disciplined with our time management and leave early (regular traffic delays around schools)!
- Parents dropping or collecting kids, should guide them and/or give them safety instructions to reach the school/your vehicle safely.
- Kids are learning from their parents, so be a role model for road safety, especially around schools!
- Parents must educate their kids about proper road safety conduct around schools, and in general.
- If you have improvement proposals for your school, engage with the school administration to articulate those.
How to do it right – around school buses
- Be extra careful when you around a school bus!
- Obey the yellow warning sign and flashing red lights which engage on school buses when they stop allowing students to get on or off.
- You must stop to allow safe passage for students!
- Be very aware of students appearing in front or at the back of the bus wanting to cross the street.
- Be very aware of students students crossing the street to reach the bus.
- Watch your speed and be ready to break.
- On the roads, be polite and generous to school buses, do no cut in front of them and show a caring attitude for the kids they transport.
How to do it right – in the school bus
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Pick-Up/Drop-Off: When approaching the pick-up point of your school bus, cross the roads safely. The same is true at drop-off. Never run to or from the bus, but just walk normally.
- Outside of the bus: Don’t stand in the danger zone (if a child can touch the bus, he or she is too close!)
- Take your seat: Take your seat promptly, buckle up and sit properly, facing forward at all times.
- On the move: Keep the aisle of the bus clear at all times. Always keep your head, hands and arms inside the bus. Remain in the seat until the bus comes to a complete stop.
- Listen and obey: Always listen to the directions of the school bus driver and school bus attendants. They are true experts and their word needs to be followed the same way as teachers’.
Link to RTA’s School Bus Guide:
https://www.rta.ae/wpsv5/links/schoolBuses/Dubai_School_Transport_Manual-Eng.pdf
Link to KHDA’s School Bus Guide:
https://www.edusys.co/blog/uae-khda-rta-school-bus-rules-and-regulations
Here is a great video of Dubai Police (in Arabic):
http://7days.ae/dubai-police-release-road-safety-video-for-school-kids
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It is a common sight in the mornings in Abu Dhabi the school buses come in front of the apartments to pick the students. Many of them stop on the wrong side of the road (two way roads) to pick the kids. They stop on the lane meant for oncoming traffic to be near the building entrance. I asked a couple of drivers why they do it and they say it is parents who are asking them to stop on the wrong side. The kids are exposed to traffic from both sides of the road when they board the buses. Someone can hit the child. Very few show the sense to stop their car when they see someone board the bus exposed to his car. This is even more dangerous when they drop the kids. Kids may run into the oncoming traffic from either side.
There is also a risk of collision with the vehicles that come from behind when the buses start off and try to enter the proper lane.
Mostly I see Emirates Transport buses and small buses doing this.
do something to stop this. If I got your email I can send the pictures I shot from my house.
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