Abu Dhabi Police has released a new traffic report on fines issued to motorists for ignoring the stop signs of school buses during 2018. With the release of this report, authorities have also decided to take a tougher stance against motorists to ensure that the state of road safety can be improved in school zones during 2019.
Several drivers were fined for ignoring the stop signs of school buses last year, which is a serious concern for authorities as this dangerous violation can put the lives of children at serious risk. Authorities have taken several initiatives to improve the safety of children in school zones including improved surveillance to nab down traffic offenders more effectively.
On the other hand, many school bus drivers were also fined for not displaying the stop sign while picking and dropping off children. Abu Dhabi Police has issued a warning against bus drivers and reminded them of the hefty penalties for not displaying the stop signs.
Details of the New Traffic Report
In the recently released traffic report, Abu Dhabi Police has revealed that they caught 3,646 drivers for ignoring the stop signs of school buses. This is a big number as authorities had increased the surveillance of school zones in 2018 and had also taken other initiatives to improve the safety of children.
3646 مخالفة لعدم التوقف عند فتح إشارة "قف" في أبوظبي#أخبار_شرطة_أبوظبي https://t.co/vBznNfrJDW pic.twitter.com/wf6S9u1B20
— شرطة أبوظبي (@ADPoliceHQ) June 25, 2019
Abu Dhabi Police has also revealed that a number of bus drivers were also booked for not displaying the stop sign of their school buses. As many as 126 bus drivers were penalized for not displaying the stop signs while picking and dropping off children.
Official Statement
Abu Dhabi Police has asked bus drivers to be careful while driving as it is their responsibility to display the stop sign when required. An official of Abu Dhabi Police said that bus drivers should display the stop sign and motorists must stop their vehicles when the stop sign has been displayed. He said that there can be no compromise on the safety of children and every step will be taken to maintain the road safety situation in school zones. Abu Dhabi Police has also asked motorists to stop their vehicles at a distance of at least 5 metres whenever they see the stop sign of a school bus.
Abu Dhabi Police has launched various awareness programmes to make motorists aware of the safety practices that need to be followed in school zones. Awareness campaigns have also been launched for bus drivers to ensure that they don’t violate any rules associated with the safety of school children. Parents have been advised by authorities to ensure that their children follow the safety protocols when they get on and off the bus. These safety protocols involve staying ten steps away from the bus stop and approaching the vehicle in an organized manner to avoid dangerous situations.
Traffic authorities have also urged parents not to let their children cross the roads alone. Parents also need to ensure that children below 12 years of age are seated in the backseat and are buckled up while traveling. Children must also be dropped off at designated drop-off parking spots and not on the opposite side of the roads. Parents must ensure that they follow all these safety guidelines to prevent a dangerous road situation involving children.
Penalties for Ignoring Stop Signs of School Buses
Motorists will have to face serious penalties for ignoring the stop signs of school buses as it is one of the most dangerous traffic violations that can threaten the safety of children. The penalties include a hefty fine of AED 1,000 and 10 black points issued against the driving license of the offender. It must be noted that the driving license of a motorist can be suspended if black points against it amount to 24. It means repeat offenders can be at serious risk of suspension of their driving license.
On the other hand, authorities have also reminded bus drivers to be careful while dropping and picking up children. Bus drivers will have to face a fine of AED 500 and six black points will be issued against their driving license for not displaying the stop sign when required.
Bottom-line
Motorists need to be careful as authorities have adopted a tougher stance against traffic violations committed in the school zones. Motorists will not be able to get away with committing even a minor violation as the surveillance of school zones has also been increased significantly. It is important for motorists to follow traffic rules and safety guidelines to ensure the safety of children in school zones and to avoid hefty traffic penalties.
If you are looking to sell your used car to buy a new one with advanced safety features and improved performance, then don’t forget that with us, you can sell any used car in just 30 minutes while all the post-sale paperwork is handled by SellAnyCar.com’s team.
