The road and the school bus

Motor vehicle statistics in various parts of the world has indicated what the traffic accidents cause in term of public or privates losses or human causalities. In the UAE, the statistics shows that traffic accidents are considered among the leading fatality causes among the youths. It was shown that the major reason of this is due to the motorist behavior and not to bad roads or the unfitness of the vehicles.

So, it is important that the motorists should follow the proper driving rules and respect the traffic regulations. This aims at respecting the rights of the others and the public and private properties, and not at only avoiding the regulatory punishments.

Causes of the traffic accidents

The statistics of Dubai Police indicated that the most important reasons of traffic accidents in 2000 are the following:

• Excessive speed.
• Passing red lights.
• Poor anticipation by the motorists.

Defensive driving

When the motorists follow the rules of defensive driving, they avoid traffic accidents and render the roads safe for the others. There are many rules and practices that should be followed in defensive driving:

Concentrate only on the road

Many accidents are caused when the motorists are concerned with other things that divert their attention from the traffic when driving. Accidents take place in a fraction of a second. Examples of these are: the driver gets involved with the children or reads newspapers, talks on the mobile phone or feels sleepy while driving. Defensive driving requires a lot of concentration and the driver should stop driving when he feels tired. This is because the mental, psychological and body conditions of the driver have great effects in paying attention to the danger and the speed of stopping the car in case of any sudden emergency.

Do not lose attention, even for a moment, and concentrate to avoid accidents

Using the seat belt

The statistics revealed positive results of using the safety seat belt during accidents. Sudden brakes as a result of an accident expose the passengers to darting with an equal speed as that of the car. The safety seat belt is designed in such a way to limit the movement of the passengers during an accident as the belt expands and absorb the shock and darting. This decreases the danger of the collision. The seat belt helps you to sit properly while driving the car and rests the backbone.

Observing the speed limit

Many times the driver is exposed to many surprises while driving. This requires sudden braking. However, the car does not stop at the same time of seeing the danger or by pressing the brake. The car has to travel some distance before coming to a complete halt. This depends on a number of factors such as the safety of the car parts and the road. This is in addition to the speed of the car. So, to achieve defensive driving, drivers should stick to the speed limit posted on different roads, in addition to leaving the proper distance between the cars, which is specified to be the length of one car. This distance should be more in case of rain or difficulty in seeing.

Speed should be decreased near residential areas and near hospitals and schools, parks, and near to pedestrian crossings.

Sticking to the speed limit does not mean excessive speed. Excessive low speed is also considered a dangerous factor. Driving with lower speed than what is required by the traffic circumstances obstructs the traffic and makes other drivers stop suddenly or try to over pass others, which will lead in causing accidents.

Do not surpass the speed limit by over speeding or under speeding while watching the conditions of the road, weather and place.

Do not pass the red light

The conscious driver follows the traffic signs. The danger in passing is that others think that the road is clear and they have the right of the way. In addition to this, sudden braking is very difficult when a sudden danger approaches such as presence of another car or pedestrians crossing.

The speed of the vehicle is the limiting factor in determining the ability of the driver in avoiding accidents especially in case of sudden accidents.

The safety of the pedestrians

Pedestrian crossing is still the most dangerous practice. This is more dangerous with children and the elderly. Despite the fact that the design of roads in cities guarantees the safety of the pedestrians and the cars, as they have overpasses and pedestrian sidewalks and traffic islands which help in directing the traffic, but still accidents have caused many causalities among the pedestrians. As we all use the roads as pedestrians, we should help each other so attain the safety of all people. Maintaining the safety of the pedestrians depends on two factors, which are the behavior of the pedestrians and the drivers. There are basic rules for using the roads that everyone should stick to.

How does the driver maintains the safety of the pedestrians

• Give the pedestrians’ right of the way.
• Reduce the speed when approaching the pedestrian crossings and be ready to brake.
• Give the children, elderly and the handicapped more time to cross.
• Do not give the pedestrians any sign indicating that you gave them the right to cross, as he will not be sure about the other drivers, and should leave the pedestrians to decide for themselves.
• Be careful at crowded streets or near to hospitals, schools, mosques, and residential areas. The driver should be prepared to stop at any time for the pedestrians, especially the children.
• Do not over pass other cars near to the pedestrian crossings.
• The driver should ensure that there are no children when he is driving on reverse.
• Do not forget to give the pedestrian the right of the way
• How do the pedestrians ensure their safety?
• Stick to walking on the sidewalks away from the cars.
• Cross the streets at the designated areas while being careful about the traffic.
• Cross when the pedestrian light is green.
• Do not allow the children to play on the roads without watching them.
• Do not get off buses or get inside them before they comes to a complete stop.

Cooperation between the driver and the pedestrian ensures safety for all

Knowing what should be done during accidents and emergencies helps a lot in avoiding chaos and fear. Knowing the first aid, no doubt, is of utmost importance as it could be the difference between life and death, the difference between temporary and permanent disability, the difference between fast and prolonged treatment.

There are a number of instructions, which should be followed in case of any traffic accident.

• Make phone calls and describe the problem and seek help by requesting ambulance or fire fighting.
• Get the spectators away from the accident scene.
• Put warning signs on the road.
• Direct the traffic.
• Give information about the location of the accident, number of injured people and your phone number.
• Do not attempt to move the injured.
• If you have any knowledge about first aid, try to help the injured if necessary.

Emergency tools inside the car

• Additional inflated tire.
• Lift jack to lift the car when changing tires.
• Wooden piece to stabilize the lift jack.
• Basic tool box.
• Light torch.
• First aid kit.
• Additional fan belt and water hoses.
• Electrical wires for recharging the battery.
• Maps for the roads.
• Enough amount of water.

For more information contact us at:

The Health of the student

The time to return to school is a good chance for the parents to evaluate their children from the health, social, educational points of view. It is essential to prepare the students for the new school year, if the children are going to school for the first time or in the intermediate or high school.

Health definition

The World Health Organization defined “health” as:

It is a state of complete physical, mental, social and psychological health. It is not a mere freedom of the body from disabilities and diseases. This ensures the link between the physical, mental, social and psychological aspects. Also, each aspect reacts with the other and the disturbance of any aspect is reflected on the other.

The school stages and the age groups that correspond to them

Kindergarten:    early childhood from 4 – 6 years.

Elementary:      intermediate childhood 6 – 12 years.

Intermediate:     late childhood and the onset of adolescence

From 12 – 15 years.

Secondary adolescence from 15 – 18 years.

The principles of the development

• The development is a continuous process that is related to the stage before and the stage after it.
• Development means the physical, mental, social and psychological developments.
• Each age stage has specific characteristics and requirements. The parents should understand these characteristics to use them properly.
• Explaining the development process for the children according to the mental standard helps in learning the development and growth and makes them able for proper adaptation.
• The parents, educators and the family should understand the individual differences between the same age group and utilize them for the benefit of the community and the individual.

The kindergarten stage

• Fear from the school.
• Fear from the strangers and the crowd.
• Attachment with the parents especially the mother.
• Disease reactions.

This stage is considered a preparatory stage for the future educational life of the child. The psychologists call this stage a critical stage. In this stage the child separates for the first time from the atmosphere of love and warmth to the alienation atmosphere, especially he meets a crowd of people that he is not accustomed to, as he was meeting certain people. This might lead to a shock that is called the separation shock, which makes the child cry and hesitate to do any step alone. This could develop to baseless dangerous reactions such as headache, stomach pain, refusing food, dizziness and fatigue, in an effort to win the emotions of the family to let him stay home.

The family responsibility

• Providing the secure family atmosphere that is free from tensions and feuds.
• Satisfying the physical, social, and psychological needs of the child.
• Accustoming the child on cleanliness and going to the bathroom by himself.
• Give the child a chance to wear his cloths (learn by trial and error).
• Preparing the child in the summer vacation through convincing him that the school is a beautiful place where he could learn many things for his life, in addition to accompanying him to school during the festivals or any other functions.
• Avoid talking about the school fees, difficulty of the curriculum, and the importance of success, so that the child will not have fears about the school.
• The mother should accompany her child to school during the first week to get accustomed to school.
• It is important that the family should know the indicators which show the preparedness of the child to join the schools and should make dialogues with the class teacher about these preparations, in order to reinforce them to make the child more linked to the school.
• Accustoming the child, before the end of the summer vacation to sleep early and to participate in the household activities such as organizing the toys & his bed in the morning. This will make him know a number of values such as organization, doing things at specific times, bring the experiences that he learns at the school and practice them at home, and divide the tasks and share with the others, etc..
• It is important that the parents should send their children to school before learning some physical skills such as going to the bathroom by himself. Social skills such as meeting strangers and to express himself, and mental skills in such a way that the mental standard and the intellectual development should be equivalent to those of his peers.

The primary stage

The intermediate childhood stage from 6 – 12 years.

In this stage, the family will make sure about the psychological and educational problems that the children suffer from. These problems may be:

• Aggressive behavior, theft, lying, and jealousy.
• Stuttering, eating or sucking the nails, involuntary urinating, & hyperactivity.
• Impaired learning and pronunciation difficulties.

The Intermediate Stage

The stage of late childhood and the onset of the adolescence stage from 12 – 15 years

All the problems of the primary stage (intermediate childhood) may continue with the child, in addition to other problems such as:

• The problems of juvenile delinquency (delinquency of the child and his behavior contradicts with the tradition and habits of the community).
• The evil friends and the groups.
• Practicing harmful habits.
• Repeated failures.
• Absence from school.
• Escaped from school.
• Abandoning school.

The family responsibility

Train the children and help them to reach the emotional maturity through the following:

1)    Accepting the depressions and judging the situation as is, and not as the son wants, and loving the others and cooperation and participation with the others, and fair competition and self confidence, independence and self reliance

2)    The family should reconsider the education and upbringing methods especially if the child has behavioral problems.

3)    Avoid following harsh & violent methods and excessive coddling.

4)    Seek consultations from the specialists in regards to the educational means or treating any behavioral or psychological problems that their children are suffering from.

5)    Have constructive dialogue with the children according to their mental abilities.

6)    Listen to the children and encouraging them to talk about their emotions.

7)    Use the methods of rewards and punishments properly through the following:

a.    Avoiding physical beating, immaterial privation is better.

b.    Immediate rewarding and punishment.

c.     Do not use warning or threatening which makes the family not true in front of their children.

d.    Explaining the improper behavior and the alternative proper behavior.

8)    Getting to know the friends of the children closely and avoid using the espionage means.

The secondary stage

The adolescence stage from 15 – 18 years.

This stage is characterized by the emotional development:

• Hypersensitivity and being affected by negligible reasons.
• Disobedience and rebelling to prove himself.
• Escape from the reality by day dreaming.
• Instability in the deeds and saying.
• Psychological conflicts and delays in taking decisions.
• Caring about the opposite sex.
• The behavioral problems

-         Joining evil friends.

-         Harmful habits (smoking and addiction).

-         Delinquency.

• Conflicts in determining his objectives and future educational plans.
• Learning problems.
• Quitting school.

The family responsibility

• Understand the nature of the stage.
• Building dialogues and opening communication channels with the children.
• Providing sexual information.
• Maintaining the privacy of the adolescent.
• Discovering the problems before they take place and monitoring any negative behavior of the adolescent.
• Provide the suitable atmosphere to practice the hobbies and activities to discharge the energy.
• Seek consultation if in fear of any negative consequences.

The role of the family in maintaining the psychological and health harmony for the school students:

• Provide the suitable atmosphere for studying especially during examination time and keep the children away from the family problems.
• Try to understand the psychological aspects of the children and their problems at the school and provide all necessary needs to secure their success.
• Instruct the student to the right method in the studying and organize the time that makes him more successful.
• Provide a resting time during the school and on the weekends, as this is very important to renew the activity of the student.
• Make sure to provide a time to meet with the children and talk to them. The dinner or supper could be a good chance to do this.
• Monitor the physical development and solve any problem.
• Monitor the emotional and psychological development and treat any problems.

A word for the student; ….. how to achieve success and superiority

• Be confident in yourself and depend on yourself during the studying.
• Prepare good studying conditions for yourself. Quiet, organized and well-lit place will be ideal.
• Do not study while being tired.
• Organize your school supplies and prepare all you need to avoid borrowing from the others.
•  Organize your time:

-         Remember that the best way to make use of the time is to start now.

-         Determine priorities according to the allowed time.

-         Establish a daily, weekly schedule to organize the time and priorities and stick to it, otherwise, you will be late at all times.

-         Organizing the time: desire + determination + practice + effort = entertainment.

• Record the important observations to serve as reminders.
• Ask your teachers and colleagues inside and outside the classroom and do not be shy to learn new things by the help of books and the experts and the new technologies.
• Depend on yourself to understand the lessons and remember the main points and then the details and record your observations.
• Study the difficult subjects while you are fresh and before getting tired and then continue with the simple subjects.
• Develop your interests outside the school, as practicing the activities will help in the success and superiority.
• Accept the examinations as they were put for a specific reason and be quiet when doing the examinations.