Dhofar: The Directorate General of Culture, Sports, and Youth in the Governorate of Dhofar, in collaboration with the Traffic Safety Institute, organized a symposium today focused on "Traffic Safety" at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah.
According to Oman News Agency, the symposium aimed to increase awareness among youth and the community about the importance of adhering to traffic rules to reduce accidents. It also intended to create a supportive environment for sports and youth achievements and to strengthen institutional partnerships among security, civil, and private entities involved in community awareness, public health, and safety.
Ali Mohammed Baqi, Director of the Sports and Youth Activities Department, highlighted the importance of collaboration between governmental and non-governmental institutions in providing awareness programs targeting all societal segments. He underscored the Directorate's efforts to implement educational activities to meet young people's needs and enhance their traffic awareness and safe behavior.
The event featured three working papers. The first, by Major Shihab Ahmed Al Shanfari, an officer at the Traffic Safety Institute in Dhofar, discussed the role of institutes in awareness and driver qualification. It also reviewed traffic behavior risks and statistics showing a 9 percent decrease in traffic accidents and injuries, and a 2 percent decrease in fatalities between 2023 and 2024, attributing these improvements to the efforts of the Royal Oman Police and safety institutes.
The second paper, presented by Abdullah Ramadan Bait Majzih, a social welfare expert at the Directorate General of Social Development in Dhofar Governorate, focused on methods for supporting people with disabilities to ensure their safety, especially in traffic contexts.
The third paper, by Basem Jumaan Al Maas, a senior nurse in the Emergency Department at Sultan Qaboos Hospital, outlined the emergency department's role in crisis management and responding to health emergencies from accidents. He reported receiving 2,668 cases of traffic accidents in the first half of 2025.
The symposium also included a visual presentation with community awareness messages, a musical recitation, and a recognition ceremony for participants.