Last chance to visit Volvo’s “Knowledge Saves Lives” exhibition
A must for parents to learn more about protecting the most precious cargo in the car- their children.
24th May, Kuala Lumpur – If you have not visited ‘Knowledge Saves Lives’
Exhibition., this is your last chance to view it at Federal Auto showroom, Kuala
Lumpur from 28th May – 1st June from 9am – 7 pm. Brought to you by Volvo Car
Malaysia, this exhibition aims to enhance public awareness on the vulnerability
of children in cars and how best to protect them when travelling.
This is the first time a car company has done such an elaborate exhibition on
child safety based on more than 75 years of safety research and must not be
missed by parents.
“Child safety has often been neglected in this part of the world and we
hope that through this exhibition, parents will be better informed about the
importance of their children’s safety when travelling in a car,” said Ms.
How Wei Thing, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia.
“By leading this initiative in creating awareness on child safety in
cars, Volvo is not merely demonstrating the company’s achievements in the safety
area, but also showing great care for the people most vulnerable in car
accidents, our children,” added Ms. How.
Volvo’s ‘Knowledge Saves Lives’ Exhibition – Unique Attractions
Apart from information gathered from years of research on car safety, the
exhibition will include never-before seen interactive exhibits and simulators
such as the Adult Child Seat, the Empathy Belly, the Car Collision Weight
Calculator and the Baby’s Head Weight Helmet.
To help to educate the public, Volvo Car Corporation has also invested in the
production of a 36-page car child safety booklet entitled “Children in
Cars”. The booklet is the only one of its kind edited by a car
manufacturer.
The booklet explains in everyday language what protective steps parents can
take for their children in cars and also the correct way of belting up the
child. It also carries a lot of frequently asked questions about child seats and
explains the most appropriate types for the different stages of childhood.
This booklet will be given away free during the exhibition.
Knowledge helps to save lives
Children, as opposed to adults, cannot judge what safety measures they should
use to avoid injury. This is the task of the adult. There are parents, in good
faith, who believe that they can protect their children by having them on the
lap, protecting them with their arms. This is not possible, not even at very low
speed.
Did you know that……
According to research, a child weighing 30 kg moving at a speed of 40 km/hour
will weigh 1,000 kg in a front-end collision with an object as steadfast as a
rock face. 1,000 kg is equivalent to an average weight of a baby elephant!
If your child is not restraint with any safety restraint system and crashed
at 30 km/h, the force is equivalent to jumping off from a two-storey building.
More frequently, injuries amongst children in cars happen because the adult
does not understand the differences in the anatomy of a child.
Always remember that………
Children are not small adults. The head of a child below 3 years old can weigh
as much as the whole body. In addition, they have weak and under-developed neck
bones so they are extremely fragile in a car collision. And in a front
collision, the necks of young children are not strong enough to withstand the
force, even when fully restrained. Which is why it is safest for children below
the age of 3 to sit in rearward facing child seats when travelling in a car. In
a rearward-facing seat, the child’s back can withstand the impact of these
forces better.
§ A rearward riding child in a child seat has a 90% lower injury risk in a
collision compared to an unrestrained child.
§ The child will be 80% better off riding in the booster seat
§ A child using an adult belt is only 60% better off
In addition to children, pregnant women and their unborn babies face similar
dangers when travelling in a car. Pregnant women are always at risk when
travelling in cars, in their case, they need to take account for two lives: the
mother and the unborn child.
Through research, we find that many mothers-to-be do not wear a safety belt
because they feel uncomfortable or fear that a safety belt might harm the unborn
baby in some way. However, researchers agree that the seat belt is the best
protection for the mother and the unborn child if worn correctly.
All these information and more are presented in the exhibition.
Raising awareness is crucial
Many modern child safety features are available in many of today’s cars. But
ultimately, the child’s safety is in the hands of the parents. Education and
creating awareness on correct practices for children in cars such as strapping
up, choosing correct child seats and proper sitting postures are crucial in
protecting the child while travelling.
“Safety in traffic accidents depends not only on the use of safety
technology by manufacturers, but also on awareness of correct safety concepts by
car owners. It requires joint efforts of all parties concerned,” said Ms
How Wei Thing.
“It is Volvo’s hope that the information and demonstrations brought to
the public via this initiative will instill a strong sense of responsibility
among drivers, parents and passengers to conscientiously adopt safety procedures
at all times, and to cultivate the awareness at an early age among their
children,” she added.
Volvo and Child Safety
Although most modern cars have highly advanced safety features for the adults,
child safety has been overlooked because of the lack of knowledge and research
in this area. A child is a fragile passenger, more vulnerable to head and brain
damage because of its proportionately bigger head as compared to an adult. Volvo
Car Corporation takes this aspect of safety into serious consideration in the
design and engineering of all child safety systems in its cars.
For more information about the exhibition, please call Federal Auto KL
(Sarah; Tel: 03-2274 9300/ 03 – 2274 6602) or log onto www.volvocars.com.my.
This exhibition is part of a roadshow, which included Federal Auto Johor Bahru
and more recently at Swedish Marque, Sungei Besi.
About “Volvo. for life” philosophy
Volvo’s core values are grounded in safety and the preservation of life, which
also extends to life as a celebration. The association between preserving life
and celebrating life is simple – with the knowledge that one is safe and secure,
Volvo allows one the freedom to live and celebrate life to the fullest.
