Yasalam’s road safety campaign, Yasalam Responsibly, returns with the slogan, ‘Friends can wait, concentrate’.

 

This year the community initiative will work with schools and universities to target young drivers and teenagers about the dangers of speeding, using mobile handsets and not wearing seatbelts while behind the wheel. The ultimate aim will be to give youngsters a chance to develop safe driving techniques and habits to make them better drivers.

 

The organisers, FLASH Entertainment, promise a team of experts will tour schools and universities across Abu Dhabi and will instruct students through workshops and a new interactive Yasalam Responsibly double-decker bus before its sets down at the F1 FanZone on the Abu Dhabi Corniche from 25th October to 4th November.

 

“Speeding is the leading cause of road accident fatalities in Abu Dhabi and the Yasalam Responsibly campaign focuses heavily on this issue. There is also a lack of awareness about seat belts, which young people often overlook and forget to wear,” said a FLASH spokesperson.

 

“In recent years, mobile phone use has been one of the latest causes of road traffic accidents, especially amongst youth who engage in heavy mobile phone use. Texting or talking on the phone highly affects drivers’ reaction times, which makes accidents more deadly,” she said.

 

As part of the initiative, students will be invited to sign a pledge, and promise to drive safely.

 

A competition will also launch asking university and school teams to design, submit and present their own road safety campaign video to a panel of judges made up of leading figures from the Abu Dhabi community and programme partners at the F1FanZone on 1st November.

 

All participating teams will receive invitations to one of the Yasalam After-Race Concerts with the winner.

 

For more information visit: www.yasalam.ae/en/yasalam-2012/community/yasalam-responsibly/