Continental’s Vision Zero road safety awareness drive gains recognition

DOHA — Continental, the premium German automotive manufacturer, has been commended by the Qatar Transport Safety Forum for its efforts in the field of transport safety through its Vision Zero campaign across the Middle East. With entry open to government and private organizations that operate in the Middle East, Continental collected the award for ‘Best Public Awareness Campaign.’ The 5th edition of the Qatar Transport Safety Forum took place in mid-October in Doha, Qatar, and was organized to acknowledge excellence in the field of road safety in the Middle East. Held under the patronage of Jasim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications, and endorsed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the forum was attended by various leaders in transport safety across the region. Vision Zero is an ambitious campaign initiated by Continental, where the leading automotive manufacturer is seeking to eradicate road traffic incidents and reach a goal of zero fatalities, zero injuries and zero accidents, through a global series of activities. As part of this initiative, Continental carried out activities promoting safe driving in Ramadan and educating drivers about tire safety for which the Qatar Transport Safety Forum accolade was awarded. Ricardo Martins, Head of Marketing for Continental Middle East, said: “Receiving this Middle East award means a great deal to our organization. Continental is a long-dedicated advocate of road safety, striving to make significant improvements worldwide for over 145 years. We have set ourselves an ambitious goal with our road safety campaign Vision Zero, which started at the 2015 International Motor Show in Frankfurt. We are looking to evolve from best in braking to zero road traffic accidents. For this goal to be achieved, the help and determination of those at the forum and many like us around the world needs to persevere.” Adopted in the Middle East in 2015, Vision Zero was initially implemented in the region with a tyre safety media activity targeted across five markets. This was the beginning of Continental’s ongoing efforts to reduce the number of traffic-related fatalities, injuries and road accidents. During the month of Ramadan in 2016, Continental Middle East launched an awareness campaign urging drivers to exercise extra caution when driving. The campaign provided tips on defensive driving and how to remain attentive at all times to help all road users stay safe on the road. The German brand’s campaign received substantial exposure with almost 800,000 people reached across the region. As a multi-national road traffic safety project, the aim of Vision Zero is to eradicate fatalities or serious injuries on the roads. In view of its exceptional expertise in active and passive safety systems, Continental has made Vision Zero its long term goal and one which the company has been pursuing for many years through consistent innovation and the ongoing improvement of components and systems. — SG