Car companies and safety groups are teaming up to educate parents on seat safety, Georgia Lewis reports
As the law currently stands across the UAE, seat belts are only compulsory for front-seat passengers, children under 10 are not allowed to travel in the front and there is no legal requirement for parents to use any sort of safety seats for babies or young children. Not so coincidentally, then, road accidents account for 63 per cent of deaths among children ages zero to 14.
Last month, the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi announced that making child safety seats compulsory is part of its 2010 road safety plan after a study it conducted found that 98 per cent of child passengers in the UAE are not properly restrained in cars. However, there is no firm time frame in place for new legislation to come into effect.
So while the law may have some catching up to do, passionate child-safety advocates across the UAE are pre-empting any proposed changes to legislation.
In April, BMW distributed more than 3,000 booster seats for parents of children ages seven to 11, a commonly neglected age group for proper restraint in cars.
One of the newer initiatives is a multi-emirate programme sponsored by Chevrolet to distribute 1,500 baby seats to new parents and provide education on how to use the seats and why they are important.
Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, Al Rahba Hospital in Abu Dhabi and Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah have each received 500 seats from Chevrolet. Distribution has already started at Al Wasl Hospital and it will soon commence at Al Rahba and Al Qassimi. The rear-facing seats are worth Dh850 each.
At Al Wasl Hospital, an average of 20 babies are born every day. Naima Mohammed Saleh Ahmad, the hospital's director of clinical support services, explains that the seats will be given out to Dubai-resident parents who have booked in advance to have their child at the hospital so that they can easily be contacted to follow up on seat usage after they go home. The parents who are not eligible for the free seats will still receive the hospital's education programme on the importance of safety seats.
Al Wasl plans to contact the parents with baby seats after nine months to ask how the seats worked out. The hospital will also see if the parents plan to upgrade to a bigger child seat, as the ones offered by the hospitals are good for children up to nine months old.
Ahmad, a trained physiotherapist, says she has always insisted on seat-belt use in her car and used child safety seats with her own children. "I used to work at Rashid Hospital where I would help accident victims recover," she says.
The programme has also encouraged other Rashid Hospital staff to think about their own habits when it comes to children in cars. Sylvia Fernandes is one of the nurses who has been giving presentations to new parents and admits that she did not use a safety seat when she had her daughter six years ago, but would definitely use one now.
"They ask why only now they introduce [child safety seats]," says Fernandes of some of the parents she has trained. "We've been travelling a long time, we have previous children and nothing happened [the parents have said]. I give them statistics."
One couple who received a new baby seat from Al Wasl was Ravindran Ramaswami, 30, and his wife, Sumithaa Sayee Krishna, 29. They had their first child at the hospital, a baby girl they named Rhea.
The couple found out about Al Wasl Hospital's initiative in the month before their daughter was born. "We were planning to buy one anyway, but when we found out the hospital [where they were booked to have the child] was giving away free seats, we were very fortunate," says Ramaswami. "It is a good thing what they are doing."
"I am 200 per cent behind using baby seats, that is very important," he says.
Another supporter of Chevrolet's initiative is Lesley Cully, founder of the Buckle Up in the Back Dubai Facebook group, which now has more than 1,000 fans. She met with Al Wasl Hospital staff so she could promote the initiative through Facebook.
"I have been approached by car companies [who are involved in child safety seat initiatives] who want to work with me exclusively," she says. But Cully says that, rather than working exclusively with one brand, she would prefer it if all the brands ran their own campaigns as they see fit, but had a consistent message, ideally with everyone using the phrase "buckle up".
"If we get the words 'buckle up' in people's heads, it will start to stick," Cully says.
Since starting her group in May, Cully has appeared on television and has now embarked on a campaign to distribute leaflets in English and Arabic and to speak to school students in the hope that they will learn to wear seat belts and encourage their families to do the same.
"I am a big believer in pester power," she says. "If at my daughter's school someone can visit from the dentists and tell them how to brush their teeth, then surely the same idea can be applied to getting people to buckle up."
Ahmad, who met with Cully at the hospital, agrees. "In my family, they know that the rule in Aunty Naima's car is to wear seat belts."
Ahmad and Cully agree that there are bigger cultural issues to be addressed to ensure children take good habits into adulthood and to change the minds of parents.
At the school attended by Ahmad's children, seat belts are mandatory on the school bus, but pupils often unbuckle after the teacher has checked. But Ahmad says her children remain buckled up. "Even if they get bullied, it doesn't matter, they keep their seat belts on," Ahmad says.
Ahmad also says that the excuse given by the parents of large families is that if a baby safety seat is fitted in a car, there will be no room for the other children. "We still have a lot of work to do," she says.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30-December 2, at The Sevens, Dubai
Gulf Under 19
Pool A – Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jumeirah College Tigers, Dubai English Speaking School 1, Gems World Academy
Pool B – British School Al Khubairat, Bahrain Colts, Jumeirah College Lions, Dubai English Speaking School 2
Pool C - Dubai College A, Dubai Sharks, Jumeirah English Speaking School, Al Yasmina
Pool D – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Deira International School
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S23%20ULTRA
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')
Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')
Man of the Match Olosunde (Rotherham)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
SPECS
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Company%20profile
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Fight card
1. Featherweight 66kg: Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg: Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg:Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg: Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg: Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg: Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg: Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Ahmed Abdelraouf of Egypt (EGY)
9. Featherweight 66kg: Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
