ABU DHABI // The first school day of the new academic year resulted in heavy traffic on the capital’s roads but no major accidents.
As pupils returned to school after the summer holidays, Abu Dhabi Police’s traffic department said on Sunday that parents generally had heeded the advice to drop off children early.
“We advised parents and guardians to try to leave early to avoid arriving at peak times in the morning as well as in the afternoon,” said Lt Col Jamal Al Ameri.
As the school day ended, he said, traffic was manageable with no major accidents reported.
Raafat Dalbah, 60, dropped off his two daughters, 8 and 12, at Rosary School at 7.10am for their 8am classes.
“It’s going to be a major headache for parents if they arrive between 7.30am and 8am,” said the Jordanian, an Abu Dhabi Government employee.
The area, he said, was filled with double-parked vehicles as parents accompanied their children inside the school gates.
“It’s normal to see double-parked cars at this time but parents or the drivers should promptly return to their cars.”
Fellow Jordanian Monjid Ali agreed.
“I don’t see it as a major problem,” said the 50-year-old sales manager.
“Double parking is common at pick-up and drop-off times but we just need to move our cars as soon as possible.”
Parents said the back-to-school traffic was not as bad as last year, and many believed there was no need for police to direct traffic in and around the school.
“We just need to arrive early to avoid traffic jams,” said Mohammed Yousuf, 60, a Sudanese who works for the municipality.
“I don’t think we need the police to be present here to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.”
Ghazi Amer, who was dropping off his two daughters, said the morning traffic was manageable because many pupils had not yet returned to class.
“About 70 to 80 per cent will not be turning up for class today,” he said.
He asked that motorists learn how to park properly, give way to other vehicles and avoid blocking crossings to prevent accidents.
As of 7.30am, dozens of cars queued in the school zone with parents leaving their cars and walking their children to the school gates.
Glenn Havinoviski, associate vice-president of the US traffic management company Iteris, suggested that the use of traffic cones and police patrols could keep waiting vehicles in a designated section along the kerb.
“School buses should always have a separate area for boarding where no cars are to go,” he said.
“Another key is to make sure school pedestrian crossings are supervised and that parked cars or buses are kept away from crossing areas.”
The traffic awareness campaign, Our Student are a Responsibility, was launched by the Ministry of Interior to ensure the safety of children at the start of the new school term and to reduce traffic congestion and prevent accidents.
Brig Gen Ghaith Al Zaabi, director general of the Ministry’s traffic coordination department, urged motorists, parents and other road users to cooperate with police and adhere to traffic rules.
rruiz@thenational.ae
