Road-safety appeal for the holidays

ABU DHABI // Police have urged families to be more vigilant during Eid al Adha and National Day celebrations and to keep an eye on their children near roads. Col Hamad Odeil al Shamsi, the head of the Traffic and Patrols Directorate, appealed to parents to look after young children and not to leave them alone playing football on the streets or in public parks. He also warned against leaving children in the care of nannies.

Since the beginning of this year in Abu Dhabi, 11 children between the ages of one and seven have died after being run over, and three have been seriously injured, he said. Col al Shamsi also called on families not to let children ride bicycles on busy roads during this period. He urged drivers to observe traffic regulations, stay vigilant, drive slowly, especially near pedestrian crossings, give priority to walkers and not use the Eid or the National Day or the forthcoming Club World Cup as a pretext to drive recklessly.