ACES and traffic police join forces in El Salvador

The Automobile Club of El Salvador held a nation-wide Think campaign from 26 July to 27 August with the endorsement of the Ministry of Transport and the Traffic Police. The club developed various campaign activities with the sponsorship from the national Driver License and Vehicle Registration and Tax programme SERTRACEN and a large number of private sector partners ranging from Pepsi, Mitsubishi, a car parts company, the largest shopping mall chain and media. Radio spots reminded people of the need to wear seat belts, always use child seats, have their head rest at the correct height and to keep their tyres in good condition.

For two weeks the road traffic police and the club campaign team took to the main roads in the El Salvador metropolitan area leading to the beaches to distribute campaign leaflets and tyre gauges to motorists. Cars were pulled over at special check points identified with Think campaign banners and the crash test dummy “Domin” and his ACES colleagues gave information on each of the safety messages of the Think campaign. A high percentage of people were found to be unbelted. Motorists who were wearing their seat belt were congratulated; those who were not were reminded why it was necessary. The traffic police also made use of leaflets during alcohol and speeding enforcement activities on the main roads.

A seat belt slide given in loan by the Automobile Club of Costa Rica toured the most popular shopping malls in the San Salvador metropolitan area, and the cities Santa Ana and San Miguel allowing thousands of people to experience the protection offered by a seat belt in a collision at 30 km/h. The seat belt slide went also to the International race track “El Jabalí” where participants of the 100 km DIANA RACING took a ride.