Better Environment Award acts to help address rising rate of road accidents in the UAE

Shell has taken a significant step to help address the alarming rate of road accidents in the UAE by kick starting a road safety awareness campaign through the Shell Better Environment Award (BEA) 2007. The BEA, the UAE's premier platform to tackle and raise awareness on environmental issues, recognizes that road traffic accidents are becoming a growing public health concern whose solution will greatly depend on multidisciplinary efforts.

Such glaring figures have compelled Shell to extend the scope of the BEA 2007 to include two more themes or categories - Road Safety and Health - in addition to Environment. The BEA invites schools to submit project ideas on the three themes. Participants would pick one of two subjects from each theme: 'Vehicle Safety' or 'Pedestrian Safety' under Road Safety; 'Shores Environment' or 'Toxic Waste' under Environment; and 'Obesity' or 'Smoking' under Health.

Some 149 schools from all over the UAE heeded BEA's call and submitted various project proposals. On December 18, 2006, a panel of judges short-listed the schools that qualified to get funding from Shell to implement their proposals. After evaluating the projects for their thoroughness and effectiveness, winners will be announced in May 2007.

"Casualty and fatality rates in the UAE have been high over the years. Presently, it is one of the major causes of death in the country. A proactive approach to educate vehicle owners and pedestrians is imperative as the rapid growth of road construction and increasing number of vehicles will only raise the risk of accidents," said Omar Al Qurashi, Head of Communications, Shell.

With the advent of advanced communications, researchers have demonstrated that using a mobile phone while driving also greatly increases the risk of having an accident. Previous researches have shown that drivers under stress are more likely to incur accidents and that stress levels increase when using the phone while driving. Researchers have advised the use of hands-free systems when operating phones while driving.

"It is important for everyone to realize that we are all affected by the rising rates of road accidents, thus it will take the cooperation of the whole community to address this issue. The BEA does its part by encouraging and funding projects that promote safety measures on the road, but this must be integrated with the efforts and contributions from other sectors of the society," said Al Qurashi.

Road and traffic accidents are global concerns with an estimated 1.2 million people killed each year because of such incidents. Over 50 million more are affected because of injuries and other related damages. While factors such as age, sex, education, training and experience play significant roles in traffic accidents, behavior of the road user - whether driver or pedestrian - is considered the most important risk factor.

"As a responsible community member, Shell is committed to pursue social programs that ensure the well being of the whole society. The transport industry is one of the key components that help the society move forward. But this powerful tool must be utilized properly to prevent social and economic backlash that could affect every member of the society. Shell is pleased to see various initiatives put forward by the students of the UAE through the BEA program that aim to address these concerns," said Al Qurashi.