Bandar Seri Begawan - In an effort to ensure the safety of drivers, free safety checks on vehicles will be carried out at respective car dealerships from November 1 to 18 as part of the newly launched Road Safety Awareness Campaign held in conjunction with the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims which falls on November 18 this year.

The campaign is a collaboration between the public and private sectors, whereby the Brunei National Road Safety Council acts as the lead facilitator while Baiduri Finance is the lead campaigner. The co-campaigners are comprised of Brunei Automobile Traders Association, General Insurance Association of Brunei, Takaful Brunei Am Sdn Bhd, Insurans Islam Taib Sdn Bhd, the Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society and the Co-Curriculum Department, Ministry of Education.

Teng Ghee Khiong, the Chairman of the Brunei Automobile Traders Association (BATA) said, "All the car dealerships under the Brunei Automobile Traders Association will be conducting free safety checks for vehicle owners as part of the campaign."

He further explained, "Many road users have no idea that the condition of their vehicle is also a factor in the road safety issue. Tyre condition, brakes, braking lights and even wipers are all essential for safe driving.

"Wipers may not be used every day but at times of heavy dowpour, wipers (in) bad condition will hinder the sight of the driver," he stressed.

Highlighting the importance of safety aspects of a vehicle, the Minister of Communications, Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar said, "The ministry felt that road accidents are mainly caused by the drivers themselves and also the condition of the cars, (and) to a lesser extent, the condition of the road. But if we have an unmaintained car and a bad driver, the result can be even more catastrophic."

The minister also thanked the Brunei Automobile Traders Association for offering free vehicle safety inspections.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin