Dubai First launches 'Little Steps for Safety' campaign

The initiative comes as part of Dubai First's commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), and marks the successful completion of its first year in operation.

The campaign will be implemented in cooperation with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), and the Emirates Driving Institute (EDI).

The first full-fledged road safety campaign, to be launched in the UAE for children between 6-12 years, will be implemented in two phases.

In the first phase, a public awareness campaign will be rolled out from mid April - May through the print media. Apart from underscoring the growing number of fatalities and debilitating injuries to children caused by traffic accidents in the UAE, the pilot phase will call for concerted action from government agencies, law enforcement personnel, schools, parents and motorists.

Ibrahim Al Ansari, Deputy CEO, Dubai First, said: "As we gear up to celebrate Dubai First's first anniversary, it only seemed appropriate to reaffirm our commitment that we made at our launch - to always keep our customers first. This CSR programme goes a step further and includes our customers' most valuable assets -our children.

"Dubai First is conscious that children and the youth are our first and foremost stakeholders for a sustainable future. Since road safety is one of the key issues that impact our children, we aim to tackle the root cause of the problem, and reach out to the support of the RTA and KHDA to initiate strict enforcement of rules and raise awareness. I believe this is a perfect example of private-public partnership for a social cause that calls for immediate action."

According to recent reports by UAE government authorities, 119 pedestrians were killed on the roads in 2007, 47% of whom were children. The World Health Organization's Global Status Report 2007 states that more than 1,000 children and young adults under the age of 25 years are killed in road traffic crashes every day.

Ravi Bhardwaj, Country Head, Dubai First UAE said: "Lack of awareness on children's road safety compounds the problem. Through this long term campaign, we seek to not only raise awareness, but also change the way parents, school staff, motorists, and children apply safety measures in their daily lives."

The first phase of the campaign will involve the mass distribution of Dubai First 'Little Steps for Safety' edutainment material in schools, containing information on the use of seat belts, 'Stop, Look, Listen and Think' rule, and other safety tips.

The second phase will be launched at the onset of the academic year in September. In association with RTA, KHDA and other associated bodies, Dubai First will organise a series of programs including workshops and lectures to educate teachers, parents, bus drivers and children on safety measures in and around schools, as well as on the road.

Dubai First will also collaborate with relevant civic bodies to implement safety rules around school districts to ensure the use of information signs, promote police patrols during peak hours, and enforce adherence to speed limit within the school zones.

Eng. Bader Al Siri, Director of Traffic Department at the Roads and Transport Authority said: "RTA's participation in the "Little Steps for Safety" campaign aims at securing the highest possible standards for children's traffic safety on the roads in our country. It also reflects our commitment towards engaging with the civil society institutions in raising awareness about the traffic safety among all social spectrums in the emirate."

He also said that the age group the campaign is targeting is very crucial because these children and youth are a main target for the RTA in its traffic safety awareness campaigns. He reiterated that such campaigns are the best vehicles to improve the ratio of road traffic safety and to eliminate the number of road accidents.

Eng. Bader explained that precaution towards traffic safety must be accompanied by individuals' attitudes. Traffic safety measures should be part of a person's manners and must be taught to them since childhood. Each person holds responsibility for the ensuring traffic safety; hence awareness towards traffic safety has become an essential and strategic element of RTA's approach in people's daily life. Awareness must be included in schools curriculums.

Fatma Al Marri, CEO of the Schools Agency at KHDA, said: "Every child's life is precious and it is the duty of all adults to protect children and keep them safe. This is particularly true when they are travelling on our roads. At SA we are working hard to raise awareness of road safety around schools, among parents and school bus drivers and, of course, with the children themselves.

"We are pleased to support the 'Little Steps for Safety' campaign and hope this will prove to be a big step towards making our schoolchildren safer. It is important that every driver in Dubai takes personal responsibility for driving with care and consideration, especially near school gates, school buses, and around schoolchildren."

Dubai First's road safety campaign will be launched at a children's carnival, scheduled to be held on 18 April at Megabowl in Zabeel Park (Gate 1) from 4.30pm to 7.30pm. The carnival will feature edutainment for children, including safety drills, road safety games and quizzes, as well as face painting and bouncing castles.

In the first year, the campaign will be implemented in public and private sector schools in Dubai. In the future, it will be taken to other schools in the neighbouring emirates as well.