Following the Saudi Arabian launch of its award-winning ‘Stay Alert. Stay Alive.’ road safety campaign, BMW Group Middle East together with its local importer, Mohamed Yousef Naghi Motors, raised awareness of the importance of buckling up by distributing more than 500 complimentary child booster cushions to families in Jeddah, Riyadh and Al-Khobar recently.

Aimed at enlightening the public about the importance of wearing seatbelts and using child safety restraints in cars, Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors gave away booster cushions to families with children aged between 6 and 11 years old and weighing between 22kg and 36kg (the internationally recognised safest weights).

The cushions elevate the child so that the seatbelt falls comfortably across the chest rather than in the child’s neck or shoulder.

The child booster seat distribution formed part of a ‘Stay Alert. Stay Alive’ road safety roadshow, which took place at three cities: Red Sea Mall in Jeddah, the Kingdom Mall in Riyadh and the Rashed Mall in Al-Khobar.

Information captured during the roadshow events emphasized the need for ongoing education as 25 percent of the people surveyed admitted to not wearing seatbelts as car drivers or passengers, while 40 percent of Saudi families admitted to not using child safety seats to ensure that their children are securely buckled up.

Stavros Paraskevaides, managing director, Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors (BMW), said: “Several campaigns have been implemented to address the Kingdom’s road safety issues and to date have produced some very positive results.”

He added: “However, we believe that it’s not enough and it is not only up to the government to create and enforce campaigns but that we all have a role to play. That is why initiating our own campaign and reaching out to local audiences via events such as mall roadshows is so important; as they enable us to reach thousands of people so we are able to enlighten them on the importance of buckling up themselves, and all passengers.”