Photo Credit : WAM
The UAE Ministry of Interior, through the Federal Traffic Council, has launched its fourth quarterly traffic awareness campaign of 2026 under the slogan “Safe Road for Our Students”, focusing on improving road safety for students travelling to and from schools.
The campaign targets students, parents, school bus drivers and supervisors, offering practical guidance on safe behaviour inside school buses, correct boarding and disembarking procedures, and safety precautions around schools and residential areas.
Awareness materials have been prepared in Arabic, English and Urdu, while campaign messages will also be distributed through Facebook, X and Instagram under a coordinated media plan involving strategic partners and relevant traffic safety authorities.
Students are encouraged to arrive at their bus stops at least five minutes before the scheduled pickup time, remain calm during journeys and avoid distracting the driver. After leaving the bus, students should move at least 10 steps away from the vehicle to ensure they remain visible to the driver.
School bus supervisors are responsible for helping students board and leave buses safely, recording absences, notifying school authorities and monitoring student behaviour throughout the journey.
Parents are also advised to accompany children to bus stops and ensure an authorised person is available to receive them from the bus or at the school gate. Schools, meanwhile, are encouraged to provide safe areas for boarding and disembarking and maintain regular communication with parents.
School bus drivers must conduct daily vehicle inspections, stop only at safe locations and keep buses stationary until students have completed boarding or disembarking. Drivers must also work with supervisors to ensure students are seated and wearing seat belts and must activate the school bus “Stop” sign whenever students are getting on or off the vehicle.
Motorists travelling in both directions are required to come to a complete stop when a school bus Stop sign is activated.
Under Article 91, motorists who fail to stop face a fine of AED1,000 and 10 traffic points. Under Article 90, school bus drivers who fail to activate the Stop sign face a fine of AED500 and six traffic points.
