Buckle up! No Belt? No Start!
Increase your chances of surviving a bad crash by 50% in the front and 75% in the back
BMW Middle East has issued this infographic to support and encourage the wearing of seatbelts in the UAE.
We at Motoring Middle East firmly advocate seatbelts too, both in the front and the back, for adults AND children.
A nationwide survey revealing the complacency towards seatbelts in the UAE is more than a little alarming.
3000 male and female, 18-23 year-old university students were polled. Just one third of the respondents surveyed said they always wore a seatbelt and despite 44% of students having been in a car accident, a staggering 72% of them still say they ‘only sometimes’ – or even never – buckle up.
Read, remember, share and care – lives could depend on it!
Endorsed by Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and working with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) – the largest higher educational institution in the UAE – BMW is introducing a bespoke online course developed to highlight the benefits of safe motoring and the consequences of reckless driving to more than 18,000 Emirati students across the country.
The importance of the issue means that HCT universities will launch the e-course as part of its curriculum this academic year, for a period of 12 months. The 30-minute course will comprise seven modules, ranging from risks in everyday driving to safety features and ways in which to drive safely. HCT students across 17 university campuses will be encouraged to complete the interactive course as part of their general studies.
http://youtu.be/gWFJ_jekBJ8Going back to the survey, a shocking 85% believe that seatbelts were just as likely to harm as to help – NO!
A World Health Organisation report from earlier this year estimated that wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of fatalities among front-seat passengers by up to 50% and rear-seat passengers by up to 75%.
Despite widespread publicity surrounding the global World Health Organization report that road traffic injuries were the leading cause of deaths of people aged between 10 and 24 years old, UAE students do not appear to be taking the potential risks seriously.
Three quarters of the UAE students surveyed who said they did not always wear seatbelts explained it was because they simply forgot or felt uncomfortable.
Worryingly, more than half (54%) of those surveyed believed it was not necessary to wear a seatbelt unless they were the driver. Equally as alarming, three out of four student drivers surveyed said they do not ensure their passengers are buckled up before setting off on their journeys.
Tell us how you convince YOUR friends to wear seatbelts in the car:
