Road campaign to emphasise child safety

A week-long campaign promoting child safety on the roads will be launched here on October 4 by the Emirates Motor Sports Federation.

The Porsche Child Safety Campaign targets youngsters ages four to eight and will give advice on the need to wear seat belts in cars, how to cross roads carefully and other aspects of road safety.

Emirates Motor Sports Federation (EMSF) spokeswoman Roshanara Sait said all primary schoolchildren will receive a cartoon booklet conveying important safety messages.

"The booklet focuses on the advantages of wearing seat belts at all times while travelling in a car, the importance of looking both ways before crossing a road, the dangers of sticking your head out of a schoolbus or car window, and many others," she said.

"The booklet also features a small driving licence-shaped card called "My Safety Card". The children may put their photographs, names, dates of birth, nationalities and blood groups on the little identification card, which carries the logos of all campaign sponsors - Dubai Police, Emirates Motor Sports Federation, Gulf News, Dubai FM and Porsche."

The booklet also includes a gift voucher which can be exchanged for a free painting book at any Eppco or Enoc petrol station during the week.

"The idea is to encourage children to be properly belted up as they approach the petrol station," Sait said. "Upon flashing their Safety Card they will receive a painting book."

EMSF Manager Khalid Malik said, "We are always keen to educate the future generations with important messages on safety, especially at an early age, and this programme is designed to inculcate good road habits among children in their formative years."

Police Col Mohammed Saif Al Zafeen, Deputy Director of the General Traffic Department, said, "We are happy to be associated with campaigns which are directed towards educating adults and children about road safety. I hope that by the time we come to the end of the campaign, youngsters will be wiser about road discipline."

However, parents must bear the main responsibility of educating their children about road safety, he said. "It is essential that parents make sure they educate their children on important issues like road safety and how children should behave while travelling in a vehicle.

"Recently a four-year-old child was seriously injured in a road accident while riding a bicycle at 11pm. Why did the child's parents allow him to go out at night? It is essential for parents to keep an eye on their children and teach them how to cross roads safely and how to use pedestrian crossings."