Despite 46% of UAE university students having been involved in a traffic accident, a staggering 69% were not wearing a seatbelt at the time. These statistics have been revealed by BMW Group Middle East following phase two of their award-winning 'Stay Alert. Stay Alive.' road safety campaign to continue raising awareness across the Emirates of the importance of buckling up.

More than 2,000 male and female 18-23 year old university students participated in event roadshows held at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) campuses in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Sharjah, to tangibly display to university students the devastating effects of not practicing safe driving.

The BMW Group team, working in partnership with the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD), the Road and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA), HCT and the Emirates Driving Institute (EDI), provided interactive demonstrations to students about the importance of buckling up. An EDI seat belt convincer and 'accident roll car' were used to teach people about the consequences of not wearing a seatbelt in an accident, while students were also encouraged to sign a pledge board with the commitment to buckle up. They also took part in a film competition to create the most impactful two minute film about road safety and participated in an interactive quiz to test their buckling up habits. BMW Group Middle East also teamed up with Emirati hip-hop duo Desert Heat who felt so strongly about the issue that they wrote a song specifically for Stay Alert. Stay Alive, which they performed throughout the roadshow.

Commenting on the campaign, Dr. Howard Reed, Director of Dubai Women's College said: "We were delighted be part of such an important initiative. Unfortunately a number of DWC students have been involved in serious road accidents or have lost someone close to them because of dangerous or negligent driving. We look forward to continuing working with BMW Group to help further encourage our students to protect themselves and others on the roads."

Information captured during the UAE 'Stay Alert. Stay Alive.' road safety roadshow emphasised the need for ongoing education within this target audience, revealing varying reasons for why students do not buckle up, including; the perception that seatbelts are uncomfortable (41%); unnecessary (27%) and uncool (11%). The survey also revealed that 65% of students did not think it necessary to wear a seatbelt when travelling as a passenger and over half (60%) thought that it was not their responsibility to ensure that their passengers buckle up.

Child booster cushion distribution continued alongside the university roadshow. Events took place in BMW Group importers AGMC and Abu Dhabi Motors showrooms as well as at Step-by-Step and Kid's Cottage Nursery Schools in Dubai, with a total of 900 booster cushions given out to families.

The UAE still has one of the world's highest rates of road deaths - an average incidence of 19.9 deaths per 100,000 population in the last 3 years (2008-2010). According to a new study released by Abu Dhabi Dept. of Transport in April 2011 total costs caused by road traffic crashes and injuries in the UAE have been estimated to account for around Dhs3.5bn annually.
BMW Group Middle East is currently rolling out the campaign across the GCC and Levant, working in partnership with its importers in each market to drive awareness and educate communities about road safety.