In the UAE,  injuries from road accidents are one of the leading causes of death for children. Two out of every three fatally injured children die due to road traffic accidents.

Back to school traffic and accidents at its peak  – how can you stay safe?

Most of us use the roads of Dubai and the UAE every day and with thousands of children returning for a new school year this month, there are higher volumes of cars, buses and pedestrians, increasing the risk of road traffic accidents. Whether your journey be to and from work, or to buy the weekly shopping, or visit the mall to make the most of the latest sale prices, it’s important to remember that the frustration of being late for a meeting or appointment or the school bell due to traffic is much less painful than having a disaster occur.

Would you know what to do in an accident?

Waiting patiently, trying to avoid the temptation of joining in with your fellow driver’s beeps and lane changing, after flicking through every available radio station to find the one song that may relieve some of the piling stress, you finally reach the point of delay. A road traffic accident, which you may or may not have just narrowly avoided. But would you have the first aid skills to help someone in this situation? 

How to avoid disaster on your daily commute:

  • Adults should be good role models. Always buckle up, wear a helmet when biking, and always follow pedestrian road safety rules.
  • Ensure safety seats are of the proper specification – children up to four years of age must have the appropriate child seat.

“All passengers in a car are required to wear seat belts including those sitting in the rear seat, failing which the driver of the vehicle will be fined AED 400 and slapped with four black point”

    The front seat passenger should also be at least 145 cm tall and not younger than 10 years old.

  • Obey traffic rules. Slow down and obey all traffic laws and speed limits and do not text or talk on your mobile phone while driving.
  • Children should be supervised. Children, especially those under 10 years of age, should be supervised as they walk or bike to school, or as they wait at the school bus stop.
  • Be aware of school buses. Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm indicate the school bus is stopping to load or unload children. Slow down to a complete stop and keep an eye out for children walking in the street before proceeding, especially where there are no pavements.

“a fine of Dh1,000 with 10 black points shall be issued against motorists who fail to stop when they see the stop sign of school buses

Road Safety UAE were quoted recently as stating that 60% of all Abu Dhabi road traffic fatalities last year occurred due to non- seatbelt use.

The Centre for Disease Control based in the US claims that seatbelts can reduce the risk of death by 45% and cut the risk of serious injury due to a car accident by 50%.

How would you deal with a road traffic accident?

Knowing what to do in an accident could mean saving a life, either that of your own family or someone else. It’s so important to have these vital life saving first aid skills, whether you’re a commuter dealing with high traffic volumes, or a parent on the school run.

Safe Hands offer certified first aid training courses either in the comfort of your own home or at your place of work or our offices  – don’t wait until it’s too late!

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