Traffic police in the Eastern Province has taken steps to secure schools in the region in the wake of several incidents involving teachers and pupils during the peak examination period.

The first day of exams witnessed a number of violations prompting centers affiliated with the Traffic Directorate to deploy patrols in the schools’ vicinity and surrounding colleges and universities to monitor traffic violations of wrong and double parking, among others.

Eastern Province traffic police spokesman Col. Ali Al-Zahrani said the region witnessed 75 traffic accidents with the start of the school exams.

He also said that the Eastern Province Traffic Directorate had issued directions to its personnel to offer help in cases of accidents or vehicle breakdowns and even to give rides to students to reach their schools in time. The patrols also dissipated the congestion outside schools on the first day of exams and monitored drifting activities outside girls’ schools.

Tabuk traffic police also intensified its patrols on all squares, roads and streets especially outside boys and girls’ schools to facilitate traffic movement due to the exams rush.

Tabuk Traffic Director Mohammad bin Shabab Al-Baqmi said his directorate had devised a traffic plan in participation with 70 official and undercover patrols on all public roads and outside schools which witness dense traffic.

The move was made in light of reports of a pupil of Al-Neiriyah government schools who survived after being run over. Security patrols were dispatched to the location immediately and a Red Crescent ambulance rushed the boy to the hospital for tests.

Although some citizens denounced the traffic campaign which mobilized 85 officers and more than 1,600 individuals in addition to 100 undercover patrol cars, General Traffic Directorate spokesman Ali Al-Rasheedi said that such a step was necessary to nab violators and monitor illegal activities such as drifting during examinations. He said that penalties included calling the guardian and his son to complete the procedures for punitive action according to the severity of the crime.