road safety initiatives
Champion adds Spark
to Traffic Updates
When the custodians of the Champion brand brainstormed about how they could
get their road safety message across to the motorists of South Africa, their vision
was to wipe the slate clean, and to filter the news through the correct medium, and
to plug away in taking the lead in providing spark to their dynamic message.
T
his culminated in Federal-Mogul
officially naming popular traffic
reporter Rob Byrne, who is a trusted
voice on various radio and TV stations and
relied upon by over 145 000 Twitter followers
for accurate traffic updates, as the South
African brand ambassador for the company’s
Champion range of products.
For over 100 years, the iconic Champion
brand has been recognised as a world leader
in the manufacture of after-market vehicle
components that ensure driver safety, such
as spark plugs, filters and wiper blades.
As the new Champion brand ambassador,
Byrne notes that road safety is a particular
concern during holiday periods, where there
is increased congestion on the roads.
Together with Champion, Byrne aims to
highlight the importance of road safety for
drivers, their passengers, and pedestrians.
“By working with Champion, we have an
opportunity to highlight the importance of
road safety, hopefully making a difference
➲ Rob Byrne, South African brand ambassador
for Champion
to the way people drive and conduct
themselves on the road. Coming up to the
holiday season, road safety is an increasing
concern.”
During major holiday periods, particularly
Easter and Christmas, road deaths in
South Africa spike. Driving conditions are
also made worse by seasonal rain. Byrne
states that one
aspect of road
safety that people
often neglect is the
importance of having
fully functioning
windscreen wipers,
“If a driver is caught
in the rain and the
windscreen wipers
do not work, visibility
is greatly reduced
and it is dangerous
for the driver and
other people on the
road.”
➲ The official introduction of Rob Byrne to distributors and the
When people do
media took place on 19 November 2014. Federal-Mogul also took the
safety checks on
opportunity at the event to introduce some of their young motor racing
their cars, they
stars: left to right, Ronnie Erasmus, Federal-Mogul’s motor racing
manager; Matt Shorter; Bradley Liebenberg; Sheldon van der Linde
often inspect the
| words in action
50
headlights, indicators and taillights to
ensure that they are working. They also
check their tyres, but very few people
consider their windscreen wipers until they
are on the road and it is raining. “A simple
road safety message is, if people are going
to be driving long distances and they know
there is a chance of rain, make sure that
the windscreen wipers are in working order,
as it will make visibility on the road a lot
better,” adds Byrne. In addition to ensuring
that all aspects of the vehicle are in good
working order, Byrne points out that there
are other road safety aspects that people
should take into consideration. These
include; driving at the speed limit, stopping
at stop signs, indicating when changing
lanes, wearing a seatbelt, and driving in the
left lane when driving slowly.
“If people obeyed the rules of the road,
there would be a lot less incidents on the
roads. By simply slowing down, people will
notice a difference in their driving. They
will notice the recklessness of other drivers
and give themselves more time to react if
there is a problem,” he continues. Byrne
believes that in addition to pointing out bad
and reckless driving, good drivers should
be acknowledged for abiding by the rules
of the road. “We are looking for people
that we can hold up as examples of roads
champions. People who drive safely and
people who look after themselves, their
family and the interests of others on the
road. These people are champions and
should be recognised.”
According to Byrne, there is a synergy
between the work that he does as a traffic
reporter and the products that FederalMogul supplies through its Champion
range. “Through this partnership, we will be
able to reach a larger audience, promoting
road safety,” he concludes.
december 2014 / January 2015