Volvo urges all car occupants to buckle-up with its #SafeDrive campaign
In conjunction with the approaching Hari Raya festive season, and the 60th anniversary of the three-point safety belt, Volvo Car Malaysia, the premium car maker, has reaffirmed its commitment to safety by launching the #SafeDrive with Volvo Car Malaysia road safety campaign which is aimed at raising awareness on the importance of using safety belts for all car occupants.
“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 Volvo Car Malaysia.
The three-point safety belt was invented by Volvo engineer, Nils Bohlin, in 1959, and became the single most important safety innovation ever introduced in cars. Noting the significance of the device, Volvo Cars gave the patent away, so it could be fitted to any car from any manufacturer – based on internal data collected by Volvo Cars since the 1960s, it has been estimated that the three-point safety belt has saved more than a million lives.
“Volvo is continually introducing many safety innovations, but it is high time that we get back to the basics – we will work closely with the Road Safety Department (JKJR) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) to raise public awareness on the importance of using the three-point safety belt. I believe the increased use of safety belt by all car occupants, will help to reduce the number of road fatalities and serious injuries in the country,” said Mr Jain.
According to data gathered by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) in 2017, an average of 16 road fatalities is recorded daily in the month of Ramadan and Syawal (Hari Raya month) – this is a shockingly high number. A way to reduce this statistic is to ensure that everyone, including the rear passengers of the car, is properly secured using the appropriate safety restraints and seats.
To gain maximum exposure, the campaign messaging will be rolled-out via various mediums including radio, newspapers, websites, social media platforms, and through authorised dealerships.
Volvo Cars has actively collected crash data from actual accidents for more than 40 years. Recently, Volvo Cars announced Project EVA (Equal Vehicles for All), allowing any car manufacturer to access its research data to build safer cars. This coincides firmly with Volvo Cars’ belief that safety should be for everyone.
