Ministry of Interior launches school road safety campaign

The Ministry of Interior, through the Federal Traffic Council, has launched its fourth quarterly campaign of 2026 under the slogan “Safe Road for Our Students” to promote road safety during students’ journeys to and from school.

Targeting students, parents, school bus drivers and supervisors, the campaign provides guidance on safe behaviour aboard school buses, boarding and disembarking procedures, and precautions around schools and residential areas.

Campaign materials are available in Arabic, English, and Urdu. Its messages will also be shared across Facebook, X, and Instagram as part of a coordinated media plan developed with strategic partners and relevant traffic safety authorities.

Students are advised to arrive at bus stops five minutes before the scheduled pickup time, remain calm during the journey and avoid distracting the driver. After leaving the bus, they should move at least 10 steps away to remain visible to the driver.

Supervisors are responsible for assisting students when boarding and leaving buses, recording absences, notifying school authorities and monitoring behaviour during journeys.

Parents are encouraged to accompany children to bus stops and arrange for an authorised person to receive them from the bus or at the school gate, while schools are urged to provide safe boarding and disembarking areas and maintain regular communication with parents.

School bus drivers must inspect their vehicles daily, stop only in safe locations and remain stationary until students have finished boarding or disembarking. They must also ensure, in coordination with supervisors, that students are seated and wearing seat belts and activate the “Stop” sign when students are boarding or leaving the bus.

Motorists travelling in both directions must 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, while Article 90 imposes a fine of AED500 and six traffic points on school bus drivers who fail to activate the sign.