Driving schools are the backbone of safer roads. Ravindranath K /The National
Driving schools are the backbone of safer roads. Ravindranath K /The National

Driving schools are safety pillars



Road safety is a persistent and well-founded concern and one of the most effective ways to improve it is through proper and rigorous training of new drivers. While we have strict road safety standards and regulations, the authorities must ensure that all laws are followed and not circumvented by some parties, such as driving schools.

The National has reported the views of a handful of experts and residents who say that driving schools need to be better regulated. They claimed that some students have been able to bypass driving school tests and that they obtained licences through connections of some sort. Additionally, it was alleged that many driving instructors were not properly qualified, engaged in dangerous road habits and that sometimes even lacked adequate knowledge of Arabic and English.

These allegations are worrying but they remain unproven. A comprehensive investigation is warranted to look into them and satisfy everyone as to how driving schools conduct business and the competence of their instructors. More to the point, there is a need for reassurance on the credibility of the licences these students obtain and their driving skills. If any of the claims of impropriety and the instructors’ incompetence are found to be valid, the authorities must take all necessary steps to deal with them.

Whether or not the allegations are confirmed, the point remains that having well-trained drivers who obey the rules of the road is just one element when dealing with the high number of accidents.

Another issue is the enforcement of existing laws, whether through more rigorous police monitoring, ticketing bad drivers or, in this case, cracking down on unqualified driving instructors who grant licences based on who the student knows. Safety on the roads begins in our driving schools and so their standards cannot be compromised.

Ukraine%20exports
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces

 

  • Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
  • Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
  • Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
  • Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
  • Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
The lowdown

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Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Company profile

Date started: January, 2014

Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe

Based: Dubai

Sector: Education technology

Size: Five employees

Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.

Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)

Dhadak

Director: Shashank Khaitan

Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana

Stars: 3

THREE
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Business Insights
  • Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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