‘Tell A Friend’ road safety campaign travels to Nizwa
NIZWA: Hundreds of visitors flocked to Petroleum Development Oman’s (PDO) “Tell A Friend” (TAF) road safety campaign which was staged at Nizwa and Al Jabal Al Akhdar.
The four-day event was officially launched in Nizwa under the auspices of Sheikh Dr Khalifa Al Saadi, Governor of Ad Dakhiliyah, and it comes as part of the ongoing drive to educate people across the Sultanate about road safety.
The main theme was the importance of keeping children safe in vehicles by using seatbelts and car seats.
The awareness drive included a variety of activities for families and kids. Visitors were invited to both Nizwa Grand Mall and Al Jabal Al Akhdar to meet car safety experts, experience virtual reality with videos featuring the dangers of using mobile phones while driving. Children enjoyed live discussions, question and answer sessions and an interactive Kids’ Corner.
PDO’s “Tell A Friend” campaign Adviser Said Al Harthi said: “It was a great experience being amongst so many adults and children who wanted to learn more about road safety. “TAF is a great platform to spread the message about safe driving and this year our focus is on keeping our children safe on the Sultanate’s roads. It is crucial to educate both parents and young people on how vital it is for children to be seated correctly and safely in vehicles and according to the appropriate age group.”
The “Tell A Friend” campaign was officially launched by PDO in Muscat in January 2013 with the aim of lowering the number of road accidents in the Sultanate. It targets important areas of road safety such as responsible driving, speed management, vehicle maintenance, and correct seat belt usage and driver fatigue. The campaign has used a multi-media approach, including television, cinema, radio, newspapers, Facebook and Twitter to get its message across to all generations.
The campaign’s roadshow has travelled widely across the country in recent years, visiting many towns including Ibri, Nizwa, Khasab, Shaleem and Al Jazir.