Tom Kristensen, known globally as ‘Mr. Le Mans’ for winning the most prestigious 24hrs endurance car race in the world for a record breaking 9 times, has the following message for UAE motorists: “In endurance car racing, paying full attention is critical! Being distracted for only A FRACTION OF A second can cost you and your team dearly! This is true for professional car racers as well as for all motorists. To reach the finishing line or the destination of your car journey, you have to be fully alert –always! Protect yourself, your passengers, other traffic participants around you, and don’t let your family and friends down – avoid being distracted while you drive!”
Mr. Kristensen’s comments correspond with the findings of a study commissioned and published by RoadSafetyUAE in 2014 (YouGov; n: 1,007): 34% of respondents said that their concentration levels dip while driving. 47% believe that there is a clear link between losing concentration while driving and being involved in an accident.
Commenting on Mr. Kristensen’s statement, Thomas Edelmann, Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE states: “Once again we want to remind UAE motorist to focus on the road and the traffic around them, and on nothing else. We welcome Mr. Kristensen’s message as a vital testimony from one of motorsport’s true greats.”
Janice Hinson, PR Manager Audi Middle East adds: “We are proud to work closely with Audi race hero and brand ambassador Tom Kristensen and we are grateful for his support to the important cause of road safety in the UAE. As a progressive, premium car manufacturer, Audi constantly develops and improves the safety technology of its vehicles in line with the ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ brand definition. However, the human part of the safety equation is of paramount importance and this is why we want to really raise the awareness to avoid distracted driving.”
Top 10 distractions for UAE drivers:
1. Behaviour of other drivers (59%)
2. Passengers speaking to you (44%)
3. Changing the radio (40%)
4. Adjusting the air conditioning (34%)
5. Poorly behaved children (34%)
6. Complex road systems (33%)
7. Road signs (32%)
8. Using a mobile phone (30%)
9. Reading maps/sat nav (25%)
10. Reaching for objects in the car (25%)