According to the road safety facts from the World Health Organization, about 1.24 million globally die each year as a result of road traffic crashes (nearly 3,400 deaths a day). Wearing a seatbelt can reduce fatalities by up to 50% and among rear-seat car passengers by up to 75%. Child restraint systems, such as child seats for infants and booster seats for older children, decrease the risk of death in a crash by about 70% for infants and up to 80% for small children.
Volkswagen Philippines, the official importer and distributor of VW vehicles, launched in the 2015 edition of the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) the VW Child Safety Initiative (CSI) campaign which aims to support child safety on Philippines roads.
The Philippine campaign is part of the global CSI strategy of the Wolfsburg-based automaker which already rolled out in various countries around the world. The CSI is based on two main pillars. One is the prevention of accidents by teaching and educating parents and kids about possible dangers on the roads. The other is the passive safety inside the VW vehicles by using child seats together with the factory standard safety systems like airbags, active collision systems and the ISOFIX child seat fixations.
At its exhibition booth, VW Philippines set up a “child safety corner” with a simulated road to heighten awareness on road safety, as well as to teach the motoring public how child seats greatly increase safety for younger passengers. The “child safety corner” had two major components: (1) the junior driving course and (2) the child seat corner.
The 50-square meter junior driving course area with five VW push cars from Germany was part of an educational program to teach children the basic rules of road safety.
A professional instructor explained the importance of road safety visuals such as traffic lights, road signs like STOP, No Entry, School Zone, Pedestrian Crossing, No Right Turn, and, Left Turn Only, among others. After completion of the driving course, a junior driver’s license was issued.
The child seat corner, meanwhile, featured three display units of VW Child Seat Genuine Accessories. VW Genuine Accessories has developed a range of child seats that allows babies and small children to travel with maximum safety. VW child seats are available in three classes: (1) for babies from 0 to15 months old (2) for children from 8 months to 4 years old, and, (3) for children from 3 to 8 years old.
The seats are crash-tested and come with official releases from the German TUV (Technical Inspection Association) and various international safety organizations. VW Child Seats are available exclusively at all nationwide dealerships.
All VW PH vehicles (except for the Polo Sedan 1.6 TDI) are equipped with ISOFIX, an international standard designed to ensure that child’s car seat is fitted easily and securely. ISOFIX is being adopted worldwide as a safer way to travel with children. The ISOFIX child seat fixes directly into compatible fittings in a car, creating a secure link. With ISOFIX, securing child’s car seat properly is much easier, reducing the risk of injury in an accident.
VW PH is committed to promote child road safety and partners with institutions such as Safe Kids Worldwide Philippines, Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership, and, Department of Transportation and Communication.
The VW CSI will be rolled out nationwide in 2015. Various workshops, tie-ups, books, crash simulations, mini-driving courses in malls and schools (for kindergarten and primary education), will complete this initiative.
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