Officials from the General Directorate of Traffic with students. Right: Brig al-Kharji presenting gifts to students.

The General Directorate of Traffic launched an awareness campaign for school students on the occasion of ‘Back to School’ on Sunday.  The drive included distribution of gifts and awareness brochures with traffic safety phrases and tips for schools students in different grades.
The drive was launched at Qatar Primary Independent School for Girls at Madina Khalifa in the presence of Brig Mohamed Saad al-Kharji, director general of Traffic Directorate, Lt Col  Mohamed Radhi al-Hajri, director of Traffic Information and Awareness Department and Maj Jaber Mohamed Edeibh, assistant director of Traffic Information and Awareness Department  and a number of officers along with the school director.
Brig al-Kharji distributed gifts and awareness brochures to students and thanked them for hosting the programme and their co-operation in the field of spreading traffic awareness. He stressed that the campaign is launched as per the instructions of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani with a view to involving students at the beginning of the school year and making them aware about the rules of traffic safety.
Brig al-Kharji urged students to adhere to the rules of safety in school buses, co-operate with the traffic police and follow the rules and procedures meant for their safety. He reminded the parents on importance of starting early in the morning to avoid traffic congestion and protect themselves and their children from the risk of accidents.
Col al-Hajri said the Traffic Information and Awareness Department this year will implement an awareness programme aimed at spreading traffic culture among school students in all stages and train them on the importance of respecting the law and abiding by the rules of traffic safety through lectures, seminars and educational programmes along with practical guidance that suit all age groups.
The programme focuses on the proper etiquette on crossing roads, walking by roads, entering and exiting buses, and other traffic information aimed at achieving safety for new generations of school students.
Major Jaber Mohamed Edeibh, assistant director of media management and traffic awareness, said that the ‘back to school’ period was a good time to involve students in traffic awareness programmes and it could reach the largest number of students.
Gifts and awareness flayers were distributed at a number of schools as part of the drive. Maj Abdullah al-Humaidi attended the programme at Umm Salal Primary School for Boys while Cap Ali Rashid al-Adba participated in programmes of Othman bin Affan Primary School for Boys and Muthanna bin Harith Primary School for Boys.  First Lt Abdul Wahid al-Anzi attended the programme at Khalifa Primary Independent School for Boys.
The General Directorate of Traffic has begun implementation of an integrated plan with the beginning of the school year with the aim to reduce congestion and ease the bottlenecks to ensure traffic flow during peak hours of morning and evening when the school buses as well as other motorists will be on the roads.