09/12/2013
MAERSK OIL QATAR AND NATIONAL TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE JOIN TO LAUNCH “STUDENTS FOR ROAD SAFETY’’ PROGRAMME
Maersk Oil Qatar continues to build on its strong reputation as a champion of road safety in Qatar, by joining hands with the National Traffic Safety Committee, Qatar Petroleum and Williams Advanced Engineering on a new schools programme called “Students for Road Safety.” The innovative educational programme launched today at Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Qatar Academy is the second initiative by Maersk Oil Qatar under the umbrella of the new national road safety identity ‘One Second’.
‘Students for Road Safety’ focuses on developing awareness and understanding of road safety in students aged 12-18 through engaging workshops and the use of a state-of-the-art mobile driving simulator, designed and developed by Williams Advanced Engineering in Qatar. Starting at Qatar Academy but travelling to schools throughout Qatar, the programme aims to reach tens of thousands of students over the coming years.
Introducing the programme, Maersk Oil Qatar’s Deputy Managing Director Sheikh Faisal Al-Thani, said, “We are delighted to launch ‘Students for Road Safety’ today as part of our continuing focus on road safety. This forms part of our social investment commitment that is designed to make a long term contribution to Qatar through quality partnership programmes that have a real and lasting impact on lives.”
He continued, “The roads are one of the most challenging environments of modern life. Young people are our future, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the right knowledge and mindset that will protect them on the roads, and enable them to grow into responsible road users. This is what this exciting new programme has been designed to do. By encouraging children to become promoters and ambassadors of road safety at school and at home, and ensuring they are better equipped with safer driving attitudes for when they become drivers themselves.”
He concluded that, “through workshops and simulated driving experiences participants will learn about road safety and safe driving behaviours, and will be provided with the knowledge, skills and qualities to help contribute to a safer present and future on Qatar’s roads, and to help reduce road accidents and fatalities. This programme does that in an engaging and informative way, and we are confident that the students will embrace road safety as an important element in their lives and take an active role in implementing and spreading the word about what they learn.”
Abdulrahman Abdulla Al-Obaidly, Manager for Public Relations and Communications at QP said:“Qatar Petroleum extends its strong support to the ‘Students for Road Safety’ programme as, together with our partners, we firmly believe that instilling the value of safe driving at an early age would contribute greatly in developing the students into future responsible drivers. We are confident that the students would enthusiastically take part in the interactive workshops and driving simulations, and the lessons they’ll learn would surely stay with them to adulthood.”
Dr. Eric Sands, Qatar Academy Principal added, “We are honoured to be able to help launch “Students for Road Safety” here at Qatar Academy. Like most of us here in Qatar, driving and being on the roads is a significant part of our students’ lives. Young drivers are vulnerable on the roads and this innovative road driving simulator will give our students a unique opportunity to develop their skills at identifying potential hazards and assessing risk on the roads safely. “Students for Road Safety” promotes good, safe driving behaviours which our students will be able to use, as they begin their own driving careers on Qatar’s network of roads.”
Maersk Oil Qatar’s “Students for Road Safety” has harnessed the strength of valuable Research and Development efforts that have taken place in Qatar. Under the leadership of Williams Advanced Engineering’s Technology Centre, which was established in Qatar in 2009, sophisticated simulation systems and road safety applications have been developed for the programme. The technology centre custom built the mobile driving simulator, the first system of its kind, for Maersk Oil Qatar which will be utilised for “Students for Road Safety”. The simulator allows students to participate in a fully immersive driving experience, based on the roads of Doha, under the instruction of professional driving instructor, and enables them to better understand correct awareness and driving practices.
In support of the programme Founder and Team Principal of Williams Advanced Engineering, Sir Frank Williams said, “Driver training and education is so important with the number of distractions on today’s roads and therefore I’m delighted to be a part of this road safety campaign. Our Technology Centre in Qatar is the result of a partnership with Qatar Foundation, so it is particularly fitting that a Williams simulator should be launched today as part of Maersk’s campaign at Qatar Foundation. I was severely injured in a car accident whilst driving too fast and know only too well that one second of carelessness can change the rest of your life. Speed is a part of my working life as the leader of a Formula One team, but the heavily controlled environment of a racetrack is very different to ordinary roads. Through programmes such as the ‘One Second’ identity, and the use of immersive simulator technology, we can arm
Qatar’s youth with the skills and awareness needed to be safe behind the wheel and play a key role in reducing the number of accidents on Qatar’s roads.”
The simulator being used as part of the campaign was built by a multi-national and multi-cultural team of engineers at Williams Advanced Engineering. Local talent and graduates from QF's Qatar Academy, Carnegie Mellon University Qatar and Texas A&M University Qatar were a key part of the Williams technical team and offered valuable insight into the cultural and behavioural aspects of road safety in Qatar. A locally based team of engineers employed at the Williams Technology Centre, Qatar, spent 12 months and 10,000 man hours designing and building a portable road safety simulator that will tour local schools as part of the “Students for Road Safety” campaign.
The mobile simulator is the first system of its kind in Qatar. Its serial-number plate proudly boasts the number 001 and 'made in Qatar', and brings the world's most advanced road safety driving simulation technology to local students and communities.
