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Kuala Lumpur, 17 October 2015 – The General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) commemorated General Insurance Day 2015 with a Road Safety Campaign focusing on the theme “Pledge for Road Safety”.

The campaign was launched by the Chairman of PIAM, Mr. Chua Seck Guan at the Nu Sentral Shopping Centre, Brickfields and was supported by JKJR, MIROS, Malaysia Global Road Safety Partnership (MGRSP), Majlis Keselamatan Jalan Raya Malaysia (MKJR) and the Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia (VTREC).

Chua said “The General Insurance Day in Malaysia is celebrated in October every year in line with all countries of the East Asian Insurance Congress.  On this day the Association and its member companies organizes CSR activities which are community-based and aimed at raising public awareness for the general insurance industry and its relevance to the daily lives of all Malaysians.  This year the Association is organizing a campaign to bring home the message of road safety and promote safer drivers with good driving habits.”

He highlighted that in a recent statement by MIROS, it was observed that 80% of traffic accidents are caused by human error. In a further study on the rate of car crash fatalities conducted worldwide, the global average for car crash deaths per 100,000 per year is 18. However, in Malaysia, the average car crash deaths per 100,000 people per year is 30.  Malaysia currently stands at an alarming 17th position worldwide in terms of number of fatal accidents in the world.  We are nearly double the world average.   PIAM stressed that it was important for road users to take it upon themselves to improve their driving habits and be more defensive on the road.  The mentality of most road users has to change with the need to be more civic conscious if we want to be a progressive nation.

CEO of PIAM, Mr. Mark Lim stated that “it was timely for the general insurance industry to play its part to promote road safety and inculcate good driving habits.  The alarming number of road accidents in the country year after year calls for real concrete measures from all stakeholders.  Specifically this campaign was in support of Pillar 4 of the National Road Safety Plan 2014-2020 developed by JKJR and MIROS which promotes safer road users”.

Lim said that the event today promoted road safety by inviting the public to pledge their commitments on improving their driving habits and becoming safer road users.  He was of the view that the writing of personal pledges demonstrates a strong call to action and enforces an individual’s commitment to carry out what he has pledged.

The general insurance industry hopes that this modest start to the campaign will inculcate better drivers on the road.   Games and quizzes were also organized on road safety related issues. Hashtags with #ipledge4roadsafety and #GID2015 were introduced to reach to the masses, especially the younger crowd.

PIAM also highlighted that this was a collective effort with its member companies some of whom will be organizing similar week long campaigns at their office premises to promote road safety.