One million on road this summer in UAE

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the continuity of summer traffic awareness-raising campaigns coordinated with the Ministry of Interior.

The campaigns aim at educating motorists and road users about the climatic conditions during summer, and the importance of taking extra caution during travelling on roads. In particular, travelers were urged, as part of ‘Accidents Free Summer’ campaign, to ensure their vehicles are fully maintained, and tyres are in a very good working condition.

Hussain Al Banna, Executive Director of Traffic, RTA’s Traffic & Roads Agency said: “The summer awareness-raising campaigns are part of the annual operational plans of the Department aimed at promoting safe driving culture.

“The campaign includes delivering awareness e-messages about the importance of maintaining vehicles to about one million individuals through screens in customer service centers, RTA social media network, driving institutes, and e-mail messages to employees of the Dubai Government and private sector.

“The summer campaigns also include awareness messages displayed on some bridges in Dubai together with an educative movie highlighting the steps of checking and maintaining the vehicle.”

“The campaign, which is run under the banner of the Ministry of Interior’s campaign branded: ‘Accidents-Free Summer,’ includes the distribution of an educative booklet to travelers by road, explaining the official procedures need to be taken when traveling by road through border posts. It also includes offering tips about inland travel as well as security and safety precautions for the driver and vehicle.

“During the campaign, the Traffic Department also distributes leaflets cautioning against parking on hard shoulder.”

“The campaign will cease by the end of August as it is based on the deployment of traffic awareness tutors that distribute Road Travel Guide booklets at places visited by travellers such the Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE, RTA customers service centres, UAE land border posts (such as Al Ghweifat Border Post and the border posts with the Sultanate of Oman), and Belhasa Station on the Sheikh Zayed Road in cooperation with the Dubai Police,” added Al Banna.

He stressed that RTA was keen on making this book a key guide to any traveller in order to ease the mobility to the intended destinations and alleviate the hassles of travel. The booklet contains information about the Customs Clearance Book, from where it is issued and how it is used, the tourist certificate of the vehicle along with the formal procedures and steps of its processing, main things to do by the traveler in advance, tips about preparation of the vehicle, information about the road, international emergency number (112), and health conditions that might be experienced by the driver or accompanying travelers.

The booklet contains key information about First Aid, key equipment and material that should be provided in the First Aid kit, first aid steps needed for coping with bruises or wounds, tips of the International Health Organization to travelers,  and how to drive during changing or rainy weather conditions.

The booklet also contains key information for drivers about tyres, vehicle faults, how to measure engine oil, brake faults, the correct way of jump starting a battery, detecting the engine overheating, electrical faults, and reading lighting indicators among other key information and guidance.

Al Banna advised road travelers to observe a healthy posture during driving to avoid fatigue and pains triggering distraction and lack of concentration, using the seat belt, preventing passengers from boarding or alighting on the left side of the vehicle behind the driver, observing the traffic guidance and directional signage, using indicators while overtaking or parking on the road, ensuring that vehicle lights are functioning properly, viewing the interior and side mirrors at the time of overtaking, paying extra caution when negotiating a dangerous curve or travelling on an unpaved road, and complying with the speed limits.

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