Buckling up ‘must be taught at an early age’
DUBAI // A young filmmaker knows all too well the importance of wearing a seat belt – even though he is not yet old enough to drive.
“My parents are very strict about us putting on seat belts,” said Charlie Cracknell, 15, a Grade 10 pupil at Gems World Academy.
“I think that it is extremely important to teach kids from a young age so it becomes second nature to them.”
This year Charlie made a video titled Click, in which children aged 6 to 13 talk about the importance of buckling up.
“The whole thing took a couple of days to put together,” he said. “There were no rehearsals because I wanted the kids to give the first answer that came to mind and be natural.”
The clip was shown in theatres in the UAE, Oman and Lebanon before feature films over three months, starting in April. Learning the importance of wearing a seat belt starts with a good role model.
“The biggest influence on a child in terms of what is good and bad or safe and unsafe comes from the parents themselves,” said Charlie’s mother, Sassy.
“If the parents wear seat belts, demonstrate their importance and enforce the wearing of seat belts on their children from a young age, then they will normally continue to do it.” Mrs Cracknell said her son wanted the short film to convey a message directly to parents.
“Charlie hoped that receiving such a message from a child would get through a parent better than a simple request or demand from another adult.”
The young director also used his skills last year to create another clip, Safe Driving Saves Lives, which focused on the dangers of texting and driving. “The video was quite well received.”
Charlie, popularly known as the school’s Steven Spielberg, intends to make another short film on road safety.
“It will focus on the dangers of leaving animals or children inside the car unattended.”