(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Traffic safety has been made a part of the curriculum on an experimental basis in five Independent Schools, including those for girls.
Based on the success of what, apparently, is a pilot project, all Independent Schools will impart lessons in traffic safety, says the Department of Traffic.
The success of the programme will be gauged by testing the knowledge of students about traffic safety after a number of lessons.
The above programme will ensure that students are cautious while playing in the streets in their localities and crossing roads.
Moreover, when they grow up they will become motorists. "So, children's awareness about traffic safety is important," said Brigadier Mohamed Saad Al Kharji (pictured), Director of the Traffic Department.
In an interview published in the latest edition of the police magazine Shurta Ma'ak (The Police With You), he said: "If we find the outcome of the pilot project positive, we will introduce the concept in all government schools".
Pedestrian safety continues to be a problem but accidents involving people crossing the roads are on the decline, he said.
This is because pedestrian safety awareness campaigns have been launched among workers in the Industrial Area, which is more prone to such mishaps.
In the Industrial Area, steps are being taken to ensure pedestrian safety by creating zebra crossings. Some streets there have no lighting.
This problem will be solved as an extensive development plan is being introduced to revamp the Industrial Area.
Road accidents declined in number in 2014 and detailed statistics will figure in the department's annual report for the year.
Overtaking from the right remains the most common violation of traffic rules and parking in slots reserved for people with special needs and parking in a way that blocks other cars are also common violations.
However, after the Traffic Department began seizing cars involved in overtaking from the right, incidents of this violation have gone down.
Lekhwiya (Internal Security Force) and Al Fazaa are actively coordinating with the Traffic Department to record traffic violations.
Al Kharji said that road users were annoyed with the Traffic Department but that was because of diversions due to infrastructure works in several areas of the country.
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