Getting seat belts to click in the UAE



The small stand at Khalidiya Mall was bustling with people; overflowing, even. But they weren't there to snap up the latest version of the iPhone or some other trendy gadget, as I could see by the signage that said: "Department of Transport". Behind the counter, attendants in khandouras were talking with the throng.

"What's going on?" I asked when I managed to make it to the booth. Without a word, a young man dressed in a green khandoura with an armband that said "trainee" pulled out a sheet of paper and placed it in front of me. "It's a survey," he finally said, smiling.

The large seat belt graphic in the top corner of the sheet was the tip-off, with the words "Buckle Up" set beside it. A quick scan of the sheet revealed it to be a short, multiple-answer questionnaire asking details about seat belt usage, starting with gender, age and nationality. Interestingly, most of the questions revolved around why you would not wear your seat belt.

One question asked: "The seat belt is not comfortable because …", followed by the answer selection of:

It makes my clothes dirty

It restricts my movement

If I have an accident, I will be stuck in the car

Others (please specify)

I could only look at these questions with incredulity. The possible answers listed for all the questions were similar in their senslessness, and couldn't possibly be used by any responsible person here - could they?

Unfortunately, they could, and are, every day on our roads. Which is exactly why the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport was carrying out these surveys at various malls in the capital.

But what will they do with the info? "When we are finished," said the green-garbed trainee, who didn't want to be named, "we will take that data and process it into different groups: who wears seat belts, or why certain people don't wear them."

The statistics will then be used to target groups with advertising in a bid to change people's attitudes towards wearing seat belts.

My query on what ratio of people were registering as non-seat belt wearers brought a wry grin and a shake of the young man's head. "Well, most aren't wearing seat belts. But we've gotten a lot better in the last few years."

Well, we can certainly get better still. The UAE is reported, by the World Health Organisation, as having one of the worst road fatality rates in the world, and a general ambivalence with seat belts is one of the biggest contributors to this woeful statistic. Sure, speeding is rampant here, but a seat belt is proven to reduce death by up to 45 per cent in cars and up to 60 per cent in trucks and SUVs, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the US.

I finished filling out the form and gave it back to the young man, thankful of the great interest from the crowd in contributing to such a worthwhile survey; obviously, people want real change on our roads.

And then, with another smile, the friendly man in green handed me a small box - a free gift of a handy mini-screwdriver set.

Well, whatever works …

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

How to avoid crypto fraud
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The Gentlemen

Director: Guy Ritchie

Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant 

Three out of five stars

Match info

Uefa Champions League Group H

Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)

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.

MATCH INFO

France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')

Italy 1
Bonucci (36')

TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER

Directed by: Michael Fimognari

Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo

Two stars

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

The%20specs
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Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.

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.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
What is the definition of an SME?

SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.

A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors. 

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
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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