In Uruguay children tell parents to come home safe

In July and August the Automobile Club of Uruguay took a Think road safety education bus for school children on a tour around Montevideo and the capital cities of the other counties in Uruguay explaining them in a video film about the safety messages on seat belt wearing, child seats, head restraints and safe tyres and encouraging them to go and tell their parents to think before you they drive. Outside the road safety bus, the children could practice on bikes and learn at a mobile road traffic education park.

The Automobile Club of Uruguay promoted the nation-wide campaign in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Culture, Public Health and the Interior and the City Council of Montevideo; 11 media sponsors consisting of TV channels, radio stations and newspapers; and a number of sponsors from areas such as private medical care, pharmaceutics, a Rotary Club social assistance programme for school children and automotive products.

In Uruguay, road traffic accidents have become the third cause of death and road deaths come even first for those under thirty. On average 600 people die in road traffic accidents and 30,000 are injured each year with approximately 1,800 disabled for life.

Apart from radio spots on each of the main campaign messages, the Automobile Club has also produced a TV advert promoting lifesaving seat belts and child restraints and pointing out the importance of tyres in good condition, with the closing shot of a little girl reminding her parents that “we are waiting for you at home” that there is a good reason for thinking before you drive.