By dubailife 
On Monday, many UAE residents experienced traffic jams lasting up to 45 minutes as schools and colleges reopened for the new academic year following the summer break.
Anticipating heavy traffic, most motorists left home at least half an hour earlier than usual to ensure they reached their offices or destinations on time.
Parents who were instructed by schools to drop off their children on the first day especially felt the impact.
To avoid delays, many motorists chose to take Salik routes instead of their regular commute paths.
“It took me an extra 45 minutes to reach the office on Monday due to heavy traffic in Oud Metha. Many parents had parked their cars along the roadside to drop their kids off at school. I saw parents walking back to their vehicles after dropping their children off,” said Karen Lobo, a long-time UAE resident.
**Non-working parents took other non-Salik routes**
Sharrah Khilawala, a mother of two, also left 40 minutes earlier to drop her daughter off at school.
“Since I was driving from Sharjah to Dubai, I allowed an extra 40 minutes because it was the first day of school. Plus, almost everyone is back from their holidays, which increased traffic on the roads,” she told Khaleej Times.
“Many working parents took the Salik route to save time, while non-working parents opted for non-Salik routes. I chose Salik because it was quicker for me,” she added.
Sharjah resident Abu Ahmed, who dropped his son off at school in Ajman, also noticed slightly heavier traffic.
“There was traffic at the Al Khan signal, then again on Al Wahda Street towards Ajman. Traffic was heavy again near the school, so we navigated through side streets to drop my son off. Roads leading to schools were quite busy early in the morning on the first day,” he said.
Source : Khaleejtimes