Double parking under watch, blamed for school traffic jams
- GTD tightens monitoring of school-zone violations
- Kuwait warns parents against double parking and reckless driving
Double parking outside schools is one of the main causes of traffic congestion and bottlenecks during student arrival and dismissal times, the General Traffic Department has warned, urging parents to use designated drop-off and pick-up areas and cooperate with traffic personnel.
Acting Director of the Traffic Awareness Department at the General Traffic Department, Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Bu Hassan, said traffic obstruction violations are being monitored as part of the awareness and traffic-control campaign accompanying the start of the new academic year.
Bu Hassan said students returning to schools will inevitably increases traffic around schools and warned that disorderly conduct of vehicles can obstruct traffic and create congestion. He urged parents to plan their children’s journeys in advance, leave home early and become familiar with the usual routes to their schools, as well as alternative routes that can be used when congestion develops.
He stressed being late for school is no reason for reckless driving. Parents should not speed, run red lights or make sudden lane changes in an attempt to make up time, he said, emphasizing that getting children to school safely is more important than getting them there quickly.
He also cautioned against the practice of insisting on dropping children directly at the school gate. The traffic official said parents have a responsibility to teach their children safe road behavior, noting that children often learn driving and road habits from adults. Wearing seatbelts, respecting traffic signals and pedestrians, and observing speed limits should become routine practices, he said.
Addressing students, Bu Hassan urged them to remain alert when crossing roads and to use designated pedestrian crossings. He warned against crossing between parked vehicles and using mobile phones while crossing, stressing that children become road users the moment they leave a vehicle.
The Traffic Awareness Department is coordinating with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Information and various media outlets to deliver safety messages to students and families as part of the back-to-school campaign. Bu Hassan said early awareness can help discourage dangerous traffic practices, ease congestion and contribute to reducing accidents around schools.
At the same time, traffic patrols, rescue teams and public security personnel have been deployed around schools and on major roads to regulate traffic and facilitate the movement of vehicles during peak periods. He called on motorists to cooperate with traffic personnel, follow their instructions and avoid maneuvers that could obstruct roads or place students and other road users at risk.
Bu Hassan said a smooth and safe return to school is a shared responsibility involving parents, students and motorists. Respecting traffic regulations and avoiding unnecessary stops and obstructions, he said, can help reduce congestion and accidents while ensuring that students reach school and return home safely.
