Traffic Police and AIG Launched Enhanced Road Safety Programme

The Enhanced Road Safety Programme for Pre-Schoolers was launched last July 30 at the Jurong Spring Community Club. The Guest-of-Honour during the programme was Mr. Desmond Lee, Senior Minister of State (SMS) for Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry of National Development. Around 90 kindergarten students, teachers and parents from the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) attended the event to learn more about good road safety practices.

The launch of the programme marks a new partnership between AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd. (AIG Singapore) and the Traffic Police (TP), building on the AIG Singapore's original programme launched last year.

The Enhanced Road Safety Programme aims to educate about 1,700 preschoolers on road safety using a 45-minute experiential workshop that teaches common traffic signs and a chance to practise kerb drills with TP officers. Part of the activities include children driving toy cars around a mock road track and observing proper road rules and being lectured about safe road crossing procedures.

Children participating in the programme will receive a goodie bag containing a colouring journal, coloured pencils, a water bottle, and a notebook.

Cycle & Carriage Industries Pte Ltd, one of AIG Singapore's business partners, will also participate as a sponsor for the programme.

Mr. Ganeswaran Subramaniam, the Head of Personal Insurance (SEA), AIG Singapore, said that they (AIG) is committed to creating safer communities in the country and delighted to expand the road safety programme with the help of TP.

"We believe that cultivating good road safety habits from a young age can help reduce road traffic incidents, as the children learn more about the importance of being safe road users," said Mr. Subramaniam.

He also added that AIG Singapore hopes that they can influence the children's parents to practise safer driving behaviour.

Commander TP, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SAC) Sam Tee said that the TP is happy to work with AIG Singapore, in order to raise awareness of road safety among preschoolers. By teaching children how to identify road signs and be more aware of blind spots, this can hopefully instil a strong sense of road awareness that will stay with them for life.

The Enhanced Road Safety Programme was just a part of the constant efforts to curb down poor road safety behaviour by drivers in Singapore. According to AIG's Road Safety Research Last Year, 77% of Singaporean drivers are annoyed about driving conditions in the country, citing reckless driving as a major cause of annoyance, followed by drivers changing lane without warning and drivers who do not accommodate lane change. Other examples of poor road safety behaviour includes using their mobile phones while driving or texting someone while at a traffic light.

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