What happens when qualified engineers using standard practices assert that an intersection near a school doesn’t require a stop sign? Residents cheer leading for the stop sign think of other ways to control traffic. But this raises the question: why are people everywhere so obsessed with trying to erect stop signs where they don’t belong?
Most people would agree that the standards of driving in the UAE leave a lot of room for improvement. One way of trying to make our roads safer is to launch an awareness campaign, and just such an initiative has been started by the Emirates Driving Institute. The scheme aims to tell young people how to look after themselves on the roads and deal with emergencies and accidents.
Safety conscious schoolchildren handed-out their own ’speeding tickets’ to motorists in an attempt to improve road safety. “Although some people do take it steady near the school, some people like to speed along. I hope my ticket will make a difference to this as it shows what will happen if you speed,” one student said.
The city’s Traffic Operations Department had recommended a yield sign at the intersection, noting it failed to meet standards for a stop sign under the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. But many neighbors weren’t dissuaded. “Please put a stop sign there to save our kids,” said one resident. “I just hope we’re not creating a false sense of security here by putting in a stop sign,” said one Councilman.
