The word “selamat” echoes everywhere during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities as celebrants wish each other but Volvo wants to remind us all that the word carries much more weight than just well wishes as it also means to be safe and to be well-protected. Its double meaning reverberates more so during the Raya period,
The word “selamat” echoes everywhere during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities as celebrants wish each other but Volvo wants to remind us all that the word carries much more weight than just well wishes as it also means to be safe and to be well-protected.
Its double meaning reverberates more so during the Raya period, a time widely recognised as one of the most high-pressure windows on Malaysian highways that increases the odds of an accident.
Road safety data from 2024 serves as a sobering reminder of the stakes, with 4,428 fatalities recorded nationwide. Most troubling is the fact that road accidents remain the leading cause of death for Malaysians aged 15 to 40. Amidst these heart-breaking figures, the “selamat” we wish each other in passing must be transformed into a deliberate act of protection to keep oneself and loved ones safe.
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Volvo Car Malaysia’s (VCM) initiative this year specifically targets the digital spaces where Malaysians connect. As the festivities are just a day away, “Selamat Hari Raya” echoes and dominates online conversations with millions of Malaysians taking to their screens to bridge distances, sharing blessings and festive joy.
Recognising the opportunity, VCM saw a strategic opening to redirect this cultural wish by engaging directly with Raya greetings on automotive and road-related social media pages, transforming a passive tradition into an active safety reminder in the hopes of keeping millions of Malaysians safe on the road.
VCM wants to stress the importance of buckling up as one of the most critical and often overlooked safety issues in Malaysia involves rear seatbelt usage.
Research from the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) shows that rear seat belt usage in Malaysia is critically low at just 11%, despite being mandatory since 2009. This oversight leaves families far more vulnerable in the event of an accident, transforming a celebration into a tragedy in a split second.
With millions expected to take to the highways, VCM’s message encourages Malaysians to pause for a moment before setting off, to ensure that every passenger, including those in the rear seats, are properly buckled up. The three-point safety belt, an innovation Volvo introduced to the world in 1959, only works if it is used and is the foundation of which all other passive and active safety features work upon.
Beyond the simple act of buckling a rear seat belt, VCM asks that your “Balik Kampung” journey is truly “Selamat” by looking beyond arriving at your destination as fast as possible. Real safety is found in the deliberate choices you make on the road, for those sitting beside and behind you.
This Raya, let the word “Selamat” be more than just a greeting, let it be a promise. Because at Volvo, we believe that when you wish someone, it should mean they are protected, today, tomorrow and for the generations to come.