A fruitful meeting took place between Minister of Youth and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser Al Ali and Brigadier Mohamed Saad Al Kharji, head of the Traffic Department at the Ministry of Interior on October 14, 2014.
The aim of the meeting was to lay out a plan of communication with youths to increase traffic awareness in a collaborative effort between the Ministry and the Department to prevent deaths because of speeding.
The meeting firmly focused on speeding, which has been behind most casualties, and ways of making youths comply with traffic rules.
This step is by far one of the most positive, which adds to the efforts of the Traffic Department, other government entities and civil society organisations to improve traffic safety.
Without this foundation, the state cannot grow or increase its resources in light of the economic changes that Qatar is going through.
Hence, the country has decided to allocate huge budgets for youths through their different stages, including education, development, training, youth clubs, centres and research facilities that focus on youths who should play a greater role in the process of development of the country. The government is aware that the development process requires all their efforts and efforts by competent authorities despite the economic and cultural openness and high income levels.
The openness limited the role played by families and schools as the only guide for youths or how to deal with them in receiving means of education and traffic safety guidelines while driving.
Maybe the competent authorities set strict roles to limit the rate of traffic accidents, and maybe we are still suffering through hearing painful news about the death and injuries of young people because of traffic accidents, leaving families with broken hearts and the state with a large mortality and disability rate.
We hope that this initiative will be taken seriously in the coming days as the camping season has arrived and many youths have rushed to spend most of their time in the northern and southern coastal areas.
Many families are worried for their sons as many of the youths are often trying to show off their “manly” skills by practising driving stunts and speeding off until they die. So, we need cooperation between the Supreme Education Council and universities for organising awareness activities in the suitable language to attract students.
Furthermore, the Traffic Department should set its awareness campaign that should be classified through charismatic leaderships with the participation of students of various ages under the supervision of the ministry and the department.
If numerous winter camps were organised in collaboration with youth centres and the ministry, and if the ministry set plans that suits the goals of each centre, maybe youths will tend to love the camping environment, especially that they will take part at meaningful work through guidance and directions of leaders and experts.
The Qatari Scout proved its ability to create young leaderships that know the meaning of social and intellectual responsibility. Maybe the Traffic Department can attract numerous youths through these camps and armful field programmes in order to train and develop them because they own the language of their generation.
Moreover, there are youths who have talent that they do not know how to develop, and how to use their energy, not knowing which club to join for the purpose.
Maybe the flaw is in the management of a number of youth centres, which do not have the ability to approach the youths. This is because some of them are not specialised and only care about the position and eventually accuse youths of having no responsibility and lacking in awareness.
In fact, the situation is totally different because youth have the talent and energy and adequate awareness but they need guidance and direction. May Allah aid whoever is taking a step in favour of youths and the nation.
