Volvo Car Malaysia launches #SafeDrive campaign – Buckle-up!
Every year, statistics show that Malaysia consistently post high numbers of accidents and casualties from road accidents. In fact, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (MIROS) reported that in the months of Ramadhan and Syawal of 2017, there was an average of 16 road fatalities every day. While those on two-wheels also make up this number, car drivers are also involved of course. The objective is simple, road users simply need to do better for their own safety.
Which makes it rather unbelievable that even in 2019, we still need to reinforce the message of Wear your Safety belts. Last night, this was exactly what Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) was trying to reinforce, again, with the launch of the #SafeDrive with Volvo Car Malaysia safety campaign. The campaign is also to celebrate the invention of the safety belt, the work of a former Volvo engineer named Nils Bohlin back in 1959.
Realising the importance and sheer simplicity of the device, Volvo then decided to give the patent away so that other carmakers can fit it into their own products. Based on internal data collected by Volvo since the 1960s, it is estimated that the 3-point seatbelt has saved more than a million lives.
“All automotive safety technologies rely on the three-point safety belt as a reference point. Without the safety belt, any protective or preventive features in a car could become ineffective. The misconception that the public have is that airbags, crash structures, and active safety systems alone are enough to protect in-car occupants; this is of course, inaccurate,” explained Mr Nalin Jain, managing director of VCM.
For this campaign, Volvo Car Malaysia will work closely with the Road Safety Department of Malaysia (JKJR) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) to roll out seatbelt awareness campaigns via various mediums including radio, newspapers, websites, social media platforms, and through its own authorised dealerships.
So here is the message again: Wear the seat belt when in a vehicle. Not just those seated in the front seats, but rear passengers too. And not just because the travelling and balik kampung season is coming up, but buckle-up every time.
(click the picture here to see a video of VCM managing director Nalin Jani trying out a safety rig demonstrating the forces involved in sudden stop frpm just 5kph)
