The RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency in Dubai has placed new traffic signs on multiple roads in school zones to discourage motorists from over-speeding. These traffic signs are unique in a way that they display WhatsApp emojis and a personalized traffic safety message to drivers after monitoring the speed of their vehicles. The basic objective of this new initiative is to promote awareness about road safety among motorists when they are driving near school zones.
The smart signs are devices equipped with digital screens capable of capturing and showing the driving speed 1/2
— RTA (@RTA_Dubai) September 16, 2017
Official Statement about the Emoji Based Traffic Signs in Dubai
The CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency, Maitha Bin Adai said that the project of placing emoji based traffic signs in school zones has been divided into multiple phases. In Phase I, these traffic signs have been placed in five areas including Muhaisnah 1, Al Mazhar, Al Wasl, Al Safa and Al Garhoud. Other areas will be covered in the Phase II where these traffic signs will be placed on the basis of the number of schools and the history of speeding tickets issued in those areas.
According to Maitha Bin Adai, the areas that have been covered in the first phase observed frequent over-speeding violations. The traffic signs placed in the school zones display 40 Km/h as the speed limit, which motorists must comply with because speeding even fractionally above this limit can increase the risk of a run-over accident.
The new traffic signs are equipped with digital screens that show emojis after monitoring the speed of a vehicle. The emojis fundamentally express the mental state of the driver by showing smiling expression if the motorists are driving within the allowed speed limit and a frowning expression if a motorist exceeds the speed limit. In this way, these traffic signs give a polite warning to motorists to abide by the speed limit and urge them to ensure road safety in school zones.
@RTA_Dubai installs speed-related smart signs depicting motorists’ emotions within school zones#Dubai pic.twitter.com/uTJi69SWW1
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) September 16, 2017
How Have the Authorities Planned this New Initiative?
RTA represents a modern transport body that has launched some of the most innovative initiatives to stop motorists from committing serious traffic violations. The new initiative is based on the findings and recommendations derived from scientific studies of the impact of emoji based traffic signs on the mindset of motorists. The new school year has begun and traffic authorities are now making their best efforts to inform and educate motorists about safe driving habits to eliminate the risk of dangerous run-over accidents in school zones.
Also read: Motorists to be fined for ignoring the Stop Sign on School Buses
The Objective behind Setting Traffic Signs with Emojis
With initiatives such as this, the authorities aim to keep a good balance between penalizing motorists for traffic violations and encouraging them to avoid these violations in a friendlier manner based on the periodic study of the behavioral patterns of motorists. The emoji based traffic signs set on the roads in school zones reflect the mental state of drivers and by giving personal attention to all the motorists, these signs can urge the motorists to comply with road safety rules happily.
Maitha Mohammad Bin Adai said that this initiative is one of many such initiatives of RTA that are targeted at improving the road safety for children in the school zones. The Traffic and Roads Agency of RTA has achieved great results with consistent efforts as the number of road deaths has decreased to zero in school zones during last six years. This is a major achievement and the agency aims at further improving its efforts to ensure maximum traffic safety for children in the school zones.
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Image courtesy: Dubai Media Office Twitter Handle
