Muscat: As the new school year begins and traffic around schools rises, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has unveiled a complete traffic plan. It intends to reduce traffic and protect youngsters.
Brigadier Engineer Ali bin Salim Al Falahi, Director General of Traffic, stated that the strategy calls for increased police presence on important highways, bridges, junctions, and near Schools, along with frequent monitoring of breaches. He stressed that student safety is still a primary priority.
Recent years have seen a reduction in road accidents, which the ROP credits to collaborative initiatives with the Ministry of Education and road safety institutions. Measures such as building speed bumps, erecting road signs, and maintaining a visible police presence have all helped to make school zones safer.
The directorate has also focused on teaching school bus drivers, with over 497 drivers certified through specialised programs. Plans are in place to broaden training throughout all governorates, including instructors, administrators, and parents, to encourage community accountability for student safety.
According to Brigadier Al Falahi, the most common infractions around schools are speeding, failing to give priority to pedestrians, and dangerous overtaking.
To counteract this, awareness programs are being conducted in the form of seminars, social media, school activities, and the dissemination of educational materials.
The ROP is also collaborating with private sector partners, such as Shell Oman, on the "Via Road Safety" programme, which focuses on pupils aged 8 to 18 and aims to raise road safety awareness. Interactive content aimed at encouraging safe road behaviour.
Colonel Staff Khamees bin Ali Al Batashi, Assistant Director General of Traffic, stressed that road safety is a shared duty that needs collaboration among families, schools, and drivers. He urged drivers to slow down near schools and prioritize kids' safety.
