Kuala Lumpur, 12 November 2009 – The best way to educate young children is to make the learning process exciting, and that is exactly the aim of the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia MobileKids’ road safety campaign. Based on the success of the previous five MobileKids campaigns held in the Klang Valley, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia decided to take the campaign to Penang this year. Held recently in Queensbay Mall, MobileKids 2009 saw some 1600 visitors participate in a host of activities designed to teach and demonstrate the importance of road safety awareness.
The highlights of the event were the Live Quest Q&A Challenge and the Moki Race which set the place abuzz with excitement. The Live Quest sessions tested families on their knowledge of road signs and traffic rules and resulted in some light moments as they scrambled to respond.
The Moki Race, a specially designed circuit was a hit with the kids as they raced spiritedly against time. They demonstrated their prowess as they blazed through obstacles which included hoping over a tyre trail, zigzagging their way through slalom poles, crossing a narrow bridge testing their balance skills and putting on the safety helmet gear before cycling to the finish line. Race
Kids were also hooked on Mokitown, an interactive virtual city multi-player game which delighted them with its funny animated characters. Mokitown enables children to experience traffic situations in a first-hand and practical way while teaching them responsible behaviour in various road traffic situations.
Puan Rabiah Mohamed and her children, Firdaus and Mohd Nizam Mohd Idris aged thirteen and eleven respectively, won one of the Live Quest rounds. According to Rabiah, the questions posed were basic information one should know while on the road but still had them double-guessing themselves. She added that her son really enjoyed the Mokitown virtual games as well and it was a great concept used to educate kids today.
MobileKids 2009 also included a Fun Zone which featured the Road Sign Puzzle Game, a fun challenge for kids who were rearranging blocks to form familiar road signs. A Carnival Zone giving away popcorn, cotton candy and balloons definitely added to the atmosphere as many kids were seen totting around with the goodies.
Another attraction, especially for parents, was a series of talks and demonstrations on road safety awareness jointly organised by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and the Penang Cycling Club. Participants received tips and advise on safety precautions for pedestrians, cyclists and passengers and were shown the proper way to cross roads, use hand signals and select appropriate cycling safety gear.
Ho Jenn Wei, who sat in for the talks with his kids, said the information and demonstrations were very useful for parents with young children especially the bike checks and pedestrian crossing methods.
According to Peter Honegg, President & Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, “We are very happy with the response to our MobileKids 2009 campaign. Safety is paramount in our daily lives and as a leading global automotive company, we make it our responsibility to actively voice the importance of being safe on the road.”
“It is vital for everyone to adopt road safety values and these must be conveyed to children from a young age so that the practice and awareness of road safety becomes second nature to them as they grow up.” he added.
The campaign also showcased information including Mercedes-Benz’s Vision of Accident-Free Driving, the MobileKids initiative, and safety technology features in Mercedes-Benz cars. On display were a Mercedes-Benz C200 and Mercedes-Benz E280 along with a variety of Mercedes-Benz merchandise courtesy of Lowe Motors.
Developed in 2001 by Daimler, MobileKids is designed to engage kids in various fun activities and games encompassing road, traffic and mobility safety issues in a lively, stimulating and interactive environment. The campaign also furthers Mercedes-Benz’s “Vision of Accident-Free Driving” by reaching the young and instilling in them values of safety, fair-play and alertness on the road. The MobileKids road show has been held by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia annually since 2004 in Malaysia.
