DOHA: As part of its efforts to develop a positive road safety culture among the youth, Students for Road Safety visited Zekrit Primary Independent School for Girls in Doha, where students took part in a driving simulator training led by internationally accredited driving instructors.
The simulator features cutting-edge technology, including a complete car cockpit and an advanced display system with a wrap-around screen. A custom-made artificial intelligence engine reflects common traffic behaviours on Qatar’s roads like tail-gating, failure to indicate, flashing lights and cutting across cars at roundabouts.
Students for Road Safety was launched in 2013 by programme owners Maersk Oil Qatar in partnership with the General Directorate of Traffic at the Ministry of Interior, as part of the national One Second road safety brand.
Last year, over 5,000 students aged between 12 and 18 benefited from the programme. The three-day visit to the school, along with dozens of others by the programme, are in addition to community and traffic events to transform students into road safety ambassadors at school and home.
Mohammed Radi Al Hajri, Director, Media and Awareness, Traffic Department, said, “The programme contributes to our efforts to improve road safety. The event was a great success and helped instil a culture of road safety by educating school students about road safety behaviours. The programme is an important initiative to help raise awareness about road safety among the younger generations, and help us in the traffic awareness division to involve the community through community engagement.
“We urge everyone to look at Maersk Oil Qatar as a great example of an organisation engaging with the community,” he added.
Al Hajri highlighted the participation level among students, which will qualify them to be Road Safety ambassadors in their communities.
Fatima Al Obaidly, Security and Safety Supervisor at the school, said, “Our students loved the visit by the programme and were moved by the interactive sessions. Their experience in the state-of-the-art simulator with experienced instructors also helped them see why it is so important to be vigilant on the road.”
The Peninsula
