Norwegian club KNA launches Think campaign

The Royal Norwegian Automobile Club (KNA) launched the Think before you Drive campaign on March 1st at the annual 5-day car parts exhibition “AUTOMESSEN” which received more than 15.000 visitors this year. At the stand which the KNA shared with Gjerde & Byhring AS, - the Norwegian distributor of Bridgestone tires, the Think crash test dummy invited visitors to take a ride on the seat belt convincer and test the effectiveness of the seat belt at a simulated low impact crash. The dummy also handed out the campaign leaflets and tyre pressure gauges.

That it is necessary for the Norwegians to do some homework was confirmed on April 21st  when the KNA and Bridgestone presented the results of a joint survey to 15-20 journalists from the Norwegian TV and press at the race track and safety driving site “Vålerbanen”:

1. 70% of Norwegian car drivers do not know the limit for worn tires (1.6 mm)
2. 60% do not know how to adjust the seat belt and head restraint
3. 20% of males with children under 10 years of age, do not know the rules for adjusting children in the car.
4. 40% never check or adjust the seat belt or the head restraint when entering a car other than their own.

The journalists were invited to test drive 12 VW Golf cars, six of which were equipped with new tires, two with winter tires and 4 with ordinary worn tires. The journalists also received instructions on how to adjust the car seat, the head restraint and the seat belt. All this happened under the supervision and guidance of the two former rally drivers, Per Engseth and Kjetil Bolneseth, both known from the top European rally-league.

This event resulted in several articles in the Norwegian press, in addition to a 1.5 min sequence on the nine o’clock news the same day.

Royal Norwegian Automobilclub (KNA) and Bridgestone will hold more Think before you Drive events in 2006.