Dubai Police join school run to help ease traffic on first day of new term

Increased patrols aim to boost sense of safety for pupils returning to classrooms after summer break

Dubai Police are to operate 250 patrols around schools, with drones set to help monitor traffic. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dubai Police will almost double the scale of their operations from last year for the first day of the school term on Monday.

The force is stepping up its presence to ease traffic at 71 schools in the emirate, up from 36 in 2024.

The first day of the academic calendar tends to be the busiest day for traffic on Dubai's roads, so much so that police have an annual Accident-Free Day campaign to encourage drivers to be vigilant as more than a million pupils prepare to return to classrooms.

Brig Abdulrahman Al Maamari, head of Dubai Police's Hemaya International Centre, which offers community sport, said 750 police officers will be in the field on Monday morning to focus on traffic at schools.

“There will be 250 police patrols around the schools, nine drones to spot traffic to increase [the] sense of safety and security for the students and parents,” Brig Al Maamari said in a media conference at Dubai Police Officers Club on Friday.

Reducing accidents

The nationwide Accident-Free Day campaign – in which drivers can have four black points wiped from their licences if they steer clear of trouble on the roads – will be held on Monday to encourage motorists to exercise caution.

More than 300,000 drivers signed up for the nationwide initiative last year. Drivers who steer clear of trouble on the day will have four black points deducted from their records by September 15.

The initiative aims to highlight the need for the public to follow crucial safety measures – such as wearing seat belts, following speed limits, leaving a safe distance between other vehicles and avoiding distractions such as mobile phone use – in an effort to reduce accidents.

Lt Col Ali Yousef, from Dubai Traffic Police, said the main challenge is drivers blocking the road around schools to drop their children off.

“Drivers or parents should arrive a bit early to drop their children and avoid blocking the road or double parking,” Lt Col Yousef said.

Dubai Police urged drivers to comply with stop signs on school buses and warned against overtaking them. According to traffic law, drivers can be fined Dh1,000 with 10 black points if they didn’t stop for school bus signs. Blocking traffic can result in a Dh1,000 fine and six black points.

What are black points?

Black points are penalties given to drivers for serious breaches of traffic regulations.

The number of points given depends on the severity offence.

If a driver receives 24 black points in the space of 12 months, their licence is suspended. The length of the suspension is decided based on the severity of the rule breaches.

There are 143 federal traffic laws in the country, with varying penalties including fines, black points, vehicle confiscation and licence suspension.