Serco Middle East, a leading supplier of essential public services, held its 4th Road Safety Awareness Day (October 10th, 2019) in a joint effort with RoadSafetyUAE, the knowledge portal for road safety in the UAE, as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.

The annual event, which occurred at Movenpick Hotel, Ibn Battuta Gate in Dubai, plans to bring awareness of road safety across the GCC and serves as an open, broad and accessible networking platform to communicate and share ideas and best practices in road safety. This years edition once again attracted high attendance as a strong emphasis was placed on how technology and innovation can upgrade safety performance and reduce road accidents.

Speakers from the public and private sector including RoadSafetyUAE, Dubai Police, Emirates Airlines and Serco all expressed the need for such events in bringing together more than 150 delegates from local organisations committed to improving road safety. Furthermore, delegates from Continental, Neutral Fuel, RoadsLink, STS and TomTom showcased various road safety innovations including manageable fuel methods, best new practices in bus transformation, safety measures in school buses, smart tyre safety for buses and commercial vehicles, and psychometric testing for drivers.

Dubai Police has uncovered that distractions while driving brought about unexpected swerving which caused 438 accidents in 2018, with 495 people injured and 59 fatalities. The UAE Federal Target is to decrease road casualties to three per 100,000 by 2021, in accordance with the national agenda.

Laura Kelly, Assurance Director, Serco Middle East, stated: The dangers that accompany road travel are ever-present and we should guarantee safety and reduce road traffic accidents by driving responsibly, wearing seatbelts and adhering to rules and laws established by the relevant authorities. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.3 million people are killed globally every year as a result of vehicular accidents, with a further 20-50 million sustaining non-fatal injuries. While drivers and passengers alike must behave responsibly in order to reduce these worrying statistics, safe alternative modes of transport are also easily accessible such as autonomous vehicles like the Metro which has ceaselessly met the vision of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to provide safe and smooth transport for all.

She included: At Serco, the wellbeing and prosperity of our esteemed workers is our top need nearby that of our clients and the general population. We are satisfied to proceed our partnership with RoadSafetyUAE through facilitating this unique event, which encourages us to guarantee the safety of our staff and customers and brings together like-minded companies so we can jointly explore new technologies and innovative solutions that facilitate safety on the roads.

Thomas Edelmann, Founder and Managing Director, RoadSafetyUAE, stated: Companies such as Serco make a huge difference with their commitment to road safety and spreading awareness; and we are enchanted to hold the 4th Road Safety Awareness Day alongside our trusted CSR partner. Serco sets an example of dedication and how to effectively communicate a strong message regarding this important issue to public and private organisations alike. We strive to reduce the number of road traffic fatalities and injuries in the UAE and we look forward to continuing to work with like-minded companies in the months and years ahead as we make a difference by realising this vision.

Serco Middle East has been spearheading and advancing road safety for several years through various initiatives involving staff and contractors that have contributed to the reduction in road accidents affecting employees. The company further showed its responsibility by making road safety videos for all representatives that were also highlighted during the event.