In line with their commitment to Road Safety, Shell Oman are taking part in the Khareef Salalah Road Safety Exhibition, held from August 2nd – August 11th, at Salalah Gardens Mall. The activities focus on advocating the recently launched Child Car Seat Campaign that aims to influence behavior and change the driving culture in Oman to make roads safer for children.

This Initiative is headed by Oman Road Safety Association, in collaboration with Shell Development Oman, Shell Oman Marketing, Petroleum Development Oman and Oman LNG.

Shell Oman’s participation is centered on their road safety initiatives that are executed in collaboration with various public and private entities including Shell Road Safety Awards (SRSA) that has been implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Royal Oman Police.

The awareness raising activities will not only be limited to the Road Safety Exhibition, as Shell is using its footprint across Dhofar to engage directly with the motorists and spread the message of safe driving through its network of service stations, these include: Modern Haima Service Station, Salalah Service Station, Raysut Service Station, Al Sa’ada Service Station, Salalah Market Service Station among others. These activities will also shed light on the use of child car seats.

Muna Al Shukaili, General Manager – External Relations and Social Investment Lead at Shell Development Oman said, “Nearly 1.3 million people lose their lives in car crashes each year globally. In Oman, a car accident happens every two hours, often resulting in injury or fatality. These numbers are deeply disturbing and alarming which is why we are working with our partners to do our part in raising awareness on this serious matter particularly through our recently launched child car seat campaign ‘Keep them Safe’. We hope to help parents understand how to choose the right car seat for their child, how to install them correctly, and use them properly.”

She added, “But we cannot work alone. The community is part and parcel of the campaign and every single member, both young and old, can play a role in keeping our roads safe.”

Young visitors can learn the rules of the road at the Shell Traffic Park, while driving small cars around a track. At the arts and crafts area, families can design their own road signs as well as take home a road safety activity book. In addition to general road safety information, Shell and its partners will demonstrate the proper installation of child car seats for different age groups.

Burair Al Lawati, Social Investment, Government & External Relations Manager at Shell Oman Marketing Company, said: “Road safety is an integral part of Shell Oman’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, and it is embedded in our everyday operations and working culture. The ultimate goal is to share and reach the hearts and minds of society through collaborative partnership with ROP, ORSA and other partners in the community as seen in this campaign. In addition, 5 of the strategically located Shell service stations in Dhofar will also be part of the awareness campaign to extend the reach of the message by engaging directly with motorists and passengers on the roads as we aim to make their life’s journeys better”.

Earlier this year, the Royal Oman Police issued a number of new traffic laws and penalties as part of the government’s initiatives to improve safety on Oman’s roads. Road safety remains at the core of Shell’s Social Investment Programmes in Oman and as a result, the company has introduced a number of initiatives that focus on all aspects of traffic safety awareness. From children to parents, teachers, and drivers, Shell believes everyone has an important role to play in gaining ground towards safer roads.