Organizers,
sponsors and Dubai and Abu Dhabi Police officials following a
preparatory meeting ahead of the May 18-19 RoadStar contest in Dubai
and May 21-22 in Abu Dhabi.
DUBAI: The annual Caltex RoadStar Contest, the first of two for the
current year, organized by the Emirates Motor Sports Federation (EMSF)
will be held this week in association with Dubai and Abu Dhabi Police
in their respective Emirates.
The over decade old campaign to promote safe driving will be held from
May 18-19 in Dubai and, for the first time, from May 21-22 in the
National Capital, Abu Dhabi.
With last-minute preparations underway before the first phase of the
contest takes off in Dubai, a meeting was held on May 13 with Director
of Dubai Police’s Traffic Department Brig. Mohammed Saif Al Zafein to
brief him on the campaign. Present at the meeting were EMSF Director of
Marketing and Business Development Roshanara Sait, Mohammed Al Sayyed
(Caltex), Marina Brissart (AXA Insurance) and representatives of media
partners Gulf News, Wheels and Radio2.
Ms Sait subsequently held a meeting with top officials of Abu Dhabi’s
Traffic Department in the National Capital on May 15. This meeting was
seen as particularly important given that RoadStar is being held for
the first time in Abu Dhabi since its inception over a decade ago.
While the Abu Dhabi Police have extended their unreserved co-operation
to RoadStar, they pointed out that this would further compliment other
road safety campaigns that they conduct regularly in the National
Capital in an attempt to bring down the number of accidents and
resultant injuries and fatalities.
Ms Sait noted that the campaign was not aimed at changing driving
habits overnight but was intended to bring to the fore the importance
of safe driving, particularly to adhering to basic road rules and
regulations.
She added: “The UAE is home to 100-plus nationalities coming with
different driving backgrounds and culture. It is important for them to
understand that what might be acceptable in their home countries (like
driving without a seat belt) is not necessarily acceptable here. For
that matter, driving without a seat belt (the first basic rule) should
not be acceptable anywhere in the world.”
EMSF Director General Mr. Khalid Al Malik said the very fact that Abu
Dhabi has been added to the campaign signifies the seriousness with
which road safety must be taken, and vowed to expand the campaign if
need be to other emirates in the future.
In this regard, Mr. Malik thanked RoadStar sponsors for their continued
commitment to corporate social responsibility and expressed the hope
that others would join the cause in extending this campaign to all the
remaining emirates of the country.
AXA Insurance’s decision to recommit itself this year after joining the
campaign for the first time last year means that the number of
co-sponsors for this worthy cause continues to expand, Mr. Malik noted.
While Caltex is the main sponsor, Lexus (Al Futtaim Motors), Axa
Insurance and the International Automobile Touring Club are the other
co-sponsors with Gulf News, Wheels and Radio2 FM as the media partners.
In its 11th year since its inception and having invested over two
million dirhams thus far in a campaign aimed at promoting safe driving,
the RoadStar team will patrol Dubai and Abu Dhabi roads during rush
hours in the morning in an attempt to identify safe drivers.
Drivers who observe basic principles of good driving such as wearing
seatbelts, using child safety seats, using indicators and hands-free
mobiles, observe lane discipline and display courtesy in addition to
adhering to speed limits will come under the organizers’ scanner during
the campaign.
Besides being rewarded with a cash award of 750 dirhams on the spot,
gifts and a certificate endorsed by Dubai Police in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Police in Abu Dhabi, the campaign also aims to contribute to making a
difference to lives of the many winners, who most often send the reward
money back home to support their families.
