With the beginning of the school year, safety initiatives have been implemented to keep students safe around schools thanks to a nationwide traffic safety competition.
Digital monitors with happy and sad faces have been spotted around the Muscat area. Although the Muscat Municipality originally took ownership, it was determined that these machines belonged to the Traffic Department at the Royal Oman Police (ROP).
“We wish to advise that the signs, which have been circulating via social networking sites, come under traffic awareness efforts, which have been adopted by the ‘Traffic Safety Committees’ in various Wilayas, and have nothing to do with ‘Traffic Violations’ regulations,” the General Directorate at ROP’s Traffic Department clarified.
Said Al Hadi, rapportuer for the Road Safety Committee for Wilayat Muscat, said the new speed monitoring machines are part of the Road Safety competition being held between the different governorates.
“If you notice, these machines are located in the front and around schools. We placed them there for student safety along the streets.”
According to Al Hadi, the machines are able to detect a vehicle’s speed from up to 100 metres away.
“In Wilayat Muttrah, we have about 10 machines in front of schools in six different locations. Of course, it is not just for the competition. We are planning on keeping these machines regardless of whether we win or lose. We are also hoping that the idea spreads around the whole country.”
“After Eid, we are planning on using warning lines coming up to the machines. Drivers will be able to feel these small bumps in the road. We are trying to create a community culture of safe driving. How long can we stay without being educated and cultured?” asked Al Hadi.
“When I place a speed bump in the road, I am forcing them to stop. But when I place these lines, it will force them to slow down. We are then able to create a traffic culture of slowing down.”
The ROP’s website sated that the general purposes of the competition is to encourage the whole society from all walks of life to participate in enhancing road safety and reducing traffic accidents, and to involve governmental, non-governmental, private sector organisations, and individuals in the process of spreading traffic safety awareness.
Ali Al Barwani, Oman Road Safety’s chief executive officer, believes that the signs are a great step for the city and have been placed in strategic locations.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea. We had actually requested this a long time ago, but I am happy to see it being implemented. It’s an old idea, but new to Oman. It’s a great way to encourage drivers to drive under the speed limit. Also, I think it’s a good idea that it is in a residential area, because if it was on the expressway or highway, it would be a distraction to drivers,” Al Barwani said.
The competition will also encourage the private sector to train and qualify road users, and to implement road safety schemes and even highlight the governmental, non-governmental, private sector organisations and individuals’ efforts to reduce road accidents.
According to the ROP, the campaign was initiated as a catalyst for safer roads in the community.
“In response to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s instructions in Seeh Al Makarim on October 18, 2010, a traffic safety symposium was held during the period May 15 to 19, 2010. The symposium arrived at 20 recommendations on traffic safety, and they were approved by His Majesty.”
The third recommendation was for “making the occasion of His Majesty’s speech on October18 of every year a Traffic Safety Day, where a trophies and financial awards are presented to any wilaya, establishment and individual, which comes up with an effective initiative for traffic safety.”
Accordingly, it was decided to establish a Traffic Safety Competition between the wilayas, governmental, non-governmental, private sector establishments and individuals.
