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The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has received heads & members of GCC delegations visiting the UAE marking the Gulf Traffic Week held (12-16 March) under the theme Your Life is A Trust.
The visiting delegations reviewed the diverse events held at City Walk featuring a stand to distribute awareness leaflets and educate the public about the events held by the Agency. They also saw the design of 3D design, which proved attractive photography enthusiasts, showing graphics of pedestrian lines leading to a safe crossing. They also saw a children playground intended to educate youngsters about the safe crossing using the Ladder & Snake game.
Events at the City Walk also included the updated smart app of Salama Magazine including interactive games which children enjoy downloading to their smart devices. These games are intended to bring children closer the traffic concepts considered essential for the targeted group aged 7-14 years.
The GCC delegation moved on to Al Saadah Street in Dubai where RTA officials briefed them on the smart pedestrian crossings the RTA has started experimentation early this year. Then they visited the Jumeirah Marine Transport Station where they boarded a Dubai Ferry that ferried them along the Water Canal and some of Dubai landmarks on both sides of the Canal.
Engineer Hussain Al Banna, Executive Director of Traffic, Traffic & Roads Agency, RTA, stressed the importance of sharing knowledge & expertise between traffic departments across GCC states. He reflected on the solid experience of the RTA in improving the traffic safety levels and expressed readiness to share it with counterparts in sister GCC nations. “The gist of the traffic awareness events this year revolves around the theme of the Traffic Week: Your Life is A Trust.
Events therefore focused on sensitizing people about pedestrians’ safety in view of the rising numbers of run-over fatal accidents, which grew from 0.6 fatality per 100 thousand persons in 2015 to 1.0 fatality per 100 thousand persons in 2016.
The RTA has developed a comprehensive strategic plan to curb pedestrian fatalities. Accordingly, the number of footbridges surged over the last decade (2006-2016) by as much as 700% from 14 bridges at the time of establishing the RTA, and the number is set to reach 113 bridges by the end of 2017. Thanks to these measures, pedestrian fatalities dropped by 25%.
Last January, the RTA experimented the use of the first smart pedestrian traffic signal on Al Saadah Street in Dubai. It has a smart system that changes the timing of the light signal, allowing pedestrians and vehicles smooth & safe crossing. It uses sensors that detect the presence of pedestrians on the pavement, and accordingly stops vehicles to let pedestrians cross. The signal is fitted with a ground light system that works in tandem with the conventional light signal and replicates its lights; which steps up the safety of road users, and supports the plans for reducing pedestrian fatalities. The RTA is set to generalize the concept in 15 crossings in Dubai in the near future.
“RTA’s events at the GCC Traffic Week which focused on a pedestrian crossing, included the installation of a camera at Al Karama to monitor pedestrians traffic. The camera makes a warning sound whenever pedestrians cross streets from other than the designated area, alerting them to go back and cross from designated areas. This event is intended to raise awareness through such fun techniques that remain sticking at the back of everyone’s mind, thus realizes the desired objectives. The events included a variety of cartoons resembling dinosaurs and other animals in the Jumeirah Walk. Animations display signs thanking motorists for stopping at pedestrian crossings, bearing the GCC Traffic Week logo to highlight the link between events and this mega annual event, besides drawing people's attention to the key traffic attitudes denoting the theme of the traffic week 'Your Life is A Trust'. The event has been marketed via social media and some local radio stations to raise the public excitement through speaking about the animated animals and dinosaurs in the Jumeirah Walk.
RTA’s events targeted 10,000 workers at laborer accommodation areas where leaflets were distributed and educational lectures were delivered at Jebel Ali and Al Quoz to raise the awareness about pedestrian safety and illustrate the rules of safe crossing.
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