UAE: 50% of children do not know how to get off a school bus if stuck in it, study shows – News

Failure to get out of the vehicle or to get help immediately could result in suffocation and death due to the high temperature and lack of oxygen in the vehicle

Authorities in Sharjah have found that half of Emirati children aged 6 to 8 don’t know what to do if they are trapped in a school bus and forgotten.

The Sharjah Child Safety Department (CSD), in collaboration with the Emirates Civil Defense, recently conducted a social experiment in a public school with several male and female students of different nationalities.

Each child was left alone in a closed school bus to monitor their reactions and see if they made it out successfully. The experiments showed that the children’s responses varied — only half of the participants were able to take the necessary steps to leave the bus.

Research shows that children also don’t know how to attract the attention of passers-by to help them, which puts them at serious risk in real-world scenarios. Failure to get out of the vehicle or to get help immediately could result in suffocation and death due to lack of oxygen and high temperatures inside the vehicle.

CSD Director Hanadi Al Yafei said: “We conducted a social experiment to provide officials and parents with statistics on the importance of raising children’s awareness of safety measures and organizing workshops in educational institutions to teach students basic safety skills.”

In addition to the experiment, the Sharjah Civil Defense also held an awareness workshop to educate children on the steps they should take if they are left inside a bus or enclosed vehicle.

Start by opening the windows for ventilation, and repeatedly honking the horn to attract attention and help the child leave.

“We hope this experiment will serve as a model for institutions in the UAE and the region to measure risks and find solutions to prevent accidents among children,” Al Yafei said.

“We also hope it will inspire parents and children’s organizations and raise awareness among young people in the community about the necessary actions to take when they are at risk.”

The social experiment is part of a series of CSD initiatives to increase community awareness of all factors that affect children’s safety.

At the start of the school year, the department held a two-day seminar titled “The Golden Rules of School Bus Safety,” which was attended by 900 school bus drivers, supervisors and navigators who are responsible for driving school buses for thousands of school children across the United States commute. Emirate.

The CSD also posted a promotional video on social media highlighting the experiment’s findings. The video highlights the dangers of leaving children alone in buses and vehicles and highlights the importance of collaboration between various stakeholders and parents to protect children.