Arab Schools Face Safety Coordinator Shortage Amid E-Scooter Dangers

A state comptroller's report revealed a significant gap in road safety coordinators in Arab schools across Israel, with 40% lacking such personnel compared to 22% in Jewish schools. Amir Andrawos, the national supervisor for Arab schools and a lecturer on safe driving, explained that these coordinators are crucial for organizing traffic safety events and liaising with educational authorities, schools, students, and parents.

The deficit extends beyond coordinators to actual traffic education classes, with Andrawos estimating that only about 70% of schools currently provide these lessons, primarily for students nearing driving age. He emphasized the critical need for this education, especially for 10th and 11th graders who are approaching the legal driving age, highlighting that a "single mistake on the street" can have irreversible consequences, unlike academic subjects where remediation is possible.

Andrawos criticized the reliance on government action, stressing that local authorities, school principals, and education officials in Arab towns also bear responsibility. He noted that while a quarter of all Israeli schools lacked a road safety coordinator in the 2021-2022 academic year, the issue is particularly pronounced in the Arab community, which also faces gaps in training and awareness programs.

Furthermore, Andrawos pointed to a decline in the number of traffic education instructors, citing a drastic reduction in the Northern region from five instructors serving approximately 180 schools to just one working two days a week. This scarcity hinders effective communication and follow-up with schools, exacerbating concerns given the rising number of road accident victims.

He also issued a stern warning about the proliferation of electric scooters and bikes among underage children, with many as young as seven to eleven years old operating them illegally. Andrawos urged parents to prevent children from riding these vehicles before the legal age of 16, stating, "Let your son be angry with you for a month, rather than you crying over him for a lifetime." He mentioned that police can confiscate vehicles and that parents may face violations in certain circumstances, while also noting the ongoing implementation of a registration and numbering system for these electric vehicles.