A pledge saving children's lives on the roads

The roar of the V8 engine as the SUV crashes into a road barrier, sending it rocketing into the air, is both sickening and shocking. Some of the audience gasp. Others cover their eyes, only peering out between their fingers once the horrifying soundtrack of metal against metal subsides. It could have been a scene from a run-of-the-mill Hollywood thriller, only it wasn't. This was real - from a video footage of an actual car accident. And it's enough to make the room full of university students attending a seminar put together by Yasalam Responsibly - a new initiative for road safety in Abu Dhabi - sit up and take notice.

Tragic catalyst

Rising football star Sultan Ali Al Ghafri, 18, knows all too well the real impact of such a smash. He tells the students how his life changed on 25 September when his 21-year-old friend and Bani Yas football teammate, Diab Awana, was killed in a car crash. "I was stunned,'' he says. "Losing Diab was extremely shocking for us all. It has changed how I drive, and how I act on the road, even how I look at life. I now think of my family and friends, of how precious life is." He pauses. "No SMS or call is worth my life," he declares, and everyone at the seminar at the Zayed University in Abu Dhabi nods.

Diab, who was famous for his back-heeled penalty kick in a match against Lebanon in July this year, was killed while driving home after offering his condolences to the family of another promising young footballer, 19-year-old Dhafra Club player, Saeed Al-Nooby, who had been killed in a car accident the day before. The double-loss left the public and football fans in a complete state of shock. Initial investigations suggested that Diab died due to speeding.

But whatever the cause, the focus of his friend, Sultan, is now to drive home the dangers of speeding, or using a mobile phone while driving, to the nation's youth, and to make them make a pledge that they won't make the same mistakes themselves.

Spreading the word

At the New York University in Abu Dhabi another Emirati youth icon, Yas Marina Circuit FG 1000 race driver, Mohammad Al Mutawaa, is holding court. The students are huddled around him in rapt attention. "Following the rules is of paramount importance," the 18-year-old tells fellow students, aged between 18 and 22. "Road safety is really important. It's not a joke; you can get hurt. Wear a seatbelt and stay safe."

Despite his obvious youth, the impact he makes on them is palpable. This is peer-pressure at its best. "I could feel I was making a connection with them," he tells us later.

Mohammad sees it as his duty to educate others about the dangers of dangerous driving. "I start off my presentation by talking about my experience as a race driver, how I make mistakes if I lose my concentration," he says. "I tell them that even really experienced drivers such as Michael Schumacher can also make mistakes on the track if they don't concentrate. So, what makes them think that they can use their phone while driving and not lose their concentration? I make it a point to emphasise that it's the driver's duty to put on a seatbelt, keep both his hands on the steering wheel and not over-speed."

As well as Mohammad and Sultan and other Bani Yas players, Gulf Sports Race Team manager, Barry Hope, and representatives of the Yas Marina Circuit and Abu Dhabi Traffic Police have participated in Yasalam Responsibly, a road safety campaign, which started on 10 October 10 and ends November 14. So far 12 sessions have been held, with a total of 2,160 students attending the seminars.

"We persuade the students of the importance of understanding the dangers on the roads," says Barry. "What we tell them is ‘If you drive, pay attention. Even if you don't drive you can always look out for your friends and family. If you are in the car and the driver is on the phone or texting, or not wearing the seatbelt, you have a responsibility to speak up'."

The seminars were designed in a way to appeal to teenagers. "Video footage of various car crashes is used as a shock tactic to show how dangerous it can be," says Barry.

The seminars are followed by an interactive session. Cars like Renault Clio RS, Aston Martin Vantage GT4, Yas Supersports SST and Formula Yas 3000 provided by the Yas Marina Circuit are on display, proving a major attraction. There is also a rolling car simulator - a talking point for the students.

The issue has an emotional appeal for most participants. "Losing Diab was very shocking for all of us," says Sultan. "That's why our participation in this programme is so important. It's something I want to be doing constantly. We keep hearing about car accidents and people dying all around us and this needs to stop."

Mohammad agrees, "It was very sad when we lost two very young football players in tragedies that could have been avoided. That's why we are trying to get the message across to young people.

"A lot of people don't like to wear seatbelts; that's one of the main reasons for so many fatalities. Some people say it's uncomfortable, which really doesn't hold up. Far better to be uncomfortable than to be dead or injured."

The emotional appeals by these campaigners found an equally emotional response from the students. "The workshop was a great experience and it made me see things from a different light," says Ahmad, a student from the Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi. "I promise to be more careful on the road. And yes, text messages and mobile calls can wait."

The message

Yasalam Responsibly aims to drive home the message that speed, not wearing a seatbelt, dangerous driving, talking on mobile phones and texting while driving are the leading causes of accidents and fatalities on UAE roads. The community initiative also reaches out to passengers, who can play a key role in ensuring their friends drive responsibly.

"The idea behind Yasalam was to engage with young people around the UAE with various programmes and I believe we have done that successfully through our music, film, sport and community-based events," says Mike Fairburn, director of marketing and planning, Flash Entertainment, the Abu Dhabi-based events company that put together the Yasalam programmes. "It is now in its third year and has developed into a brand. Safety on the roads is an important issue in the UAE. We teamed up with KHP Consulting, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Abu Dhabi Traffic Police, Emirates Driving Company, Yas Marina Circuit, some of the country's most respected professional drivers, and Abu Dhabi football stars to deliver the message in a way that is not stuffy, corporate or preachy."

As part of the feedback, students were requested to take a pledge at the end of the seminars. Over 2,950 have signed up so far.

"I could see a perceptible change in the students after our presentations from the questions they kept asking after the sessions," says Mohammad. "I think we got through to many of them regarding road safety and delivered the message that it's not a game. Driving on the roads is serious business and it's not about getting to your destination in the fastest time possible, but in the safest way possible."

Sultan had not expected much response from his audience when he first visited a school. "They were all 17- to 18-year-olds, I am 18 myself, so I know the mindset," he says. "But I sensed a very positive response even as I spoke. They were very enthusiastic about taking the pledge not to use the phone or drive dangerously after the presentation. I know that what we told them made a big impact. Many of them even came to watch me play later on."

"To be honest I expected the kids to go back to their cars and speed off again without wearing seatbelts," says Mohammad. "But after the presentations many of them came up to me and asked about safety precautions while racing. As young people, I realise we love to go fast, feel the adrenaline rush. So I advised them to go to the Yas Marina circuit race school where they can learn to race safely as fast as they want to go in a safe environment."

"I've done these kinds of campaigns before, and mostly young people find them boring, you can see that on their faces," says Barry. "But when I gave my presentation this time they appeared to be pretty clued in."

Sultan has the last word: "Your trip will take you not more than 10 minutes extra if you drive safely and calmly. We should think about our families and our loved ones and be careful. Our life is too valuable to be played around with."

Mohammad Al Mutawaa's safety pointers

• Belt up before you even start the car
• Switch off your mobile or put it on silent mode
• Talking on the phone while driving even if you have a headset is dangerous because it can distract you as you could be thinking about something else, your concentration is not on driving
• Put your phone away in the glove compartment
• Stay within speed limits, and don't tailgate l You may think you can control the car, but you never know what can happen

The Yasalam Responsibly Pledge

• I pledge to be a safer driver and to help end dangerous driving on the roads of Abu Dhabi
• I will hold other drivers accountable for their actions when riding as a passenger
• I will always wear my seatbelt
• I will stay within the speed limit
• I will not text while driving
• I will use a hands-free device when I must speak on the phone.

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