Total puts road safety into gear with Dubai Traffic Police

at The Kindergarten Starters ‘Traffic Park’

Dubai, September 7, 2014:It may be a few years before they get behind the wheel of a real car, but pupils at The Kindergarten Starters in Dubai will soon be learning what it takes to be a safe and responsible road user - thanks to an ingenious project involvingDubai Police Traffic Department, Total Marketing Middle East andthe school.

The popular primary school in Al Garhoud has recreated a miniature road system in the school grounds complete with traffic signals, zebra crossings, a roundabout - even a pretend petrol station, supermarket and a police station.

Children aged fourto six navigate the purpose-built Traffic Park in fun pedal-carsand by bicycle. And they had better keep their eyes on the road to avoid getting a ticket from one of their fellow pupils playing the role of traffic police.

Unveiling the park today were Brigadier Jamal Al Banaiof Dubai Police Traffic Department;David Kalife, Managing Director of Total Marketing Middle East (TMME); andAsha Alexander, Principal of The Kindergarten Starters.

Brigadier Jamal Al Banaiof Dubai Police Traffic Department said: “Road safety continues to be a major concern in the UAE and schools play a vital role in raising the next generation of responsible road users. The Traffic Park is a wonderful idea to drive home the road safety message - and will hopefully inspire similar school projects across the UAE.”
Covering 1,000 square metres, the outdoor Traffic Park will be a permanent feature of the school, open throughout the school year. Total will help run and maintain the park, which expects to receive at least 2,500 youngsters in its first year.
“Co-managingThe Kindergarten Traffic Park is an opportunity to build on our involvement by helping to create and maintain a permanent site for road safety in schools -we’re pleased to be working with Dubai Police Traffic Departmentand GEMS Education on this fantastic project,” said David Kalife of TMME.

“We’ll be applying some of the lessons we’ve learnt from running road safety awareness programmes at schools in the UAE to the management of the park,” he added.
“It’s never too early to learn the ins and outs of road safety, which is why we came up with the idea of The Kindergarten Starters Traffic Park,” said the school’sprincipalAsha Alexander. “The Park is a scaled-down version of a real high street - designed to be authentic while also appealing to young minds. It’s an environment where pupils can learn the road safety lessons that will hopefully stay with them until adulthood - and have fun with their friends, parents and teachers at the same time.”

Total has actively promoted road safety in the UAE for a number of years, in partnership with local schools and Dubai Police, reaching around 18,000 youngsters at nearly 40 Dubai schools through its Child Road Safety Campaign in the last four years alone.