Mar. 27, 2003

Toyota to Conduct Spring Traffic Safety Campaign

―New Characters to Mark 35th Year of Child Traffic Safety Educational Activities―

 

Tokyo―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that in line with Japan's spring Nationwide Traffic Safety Campaign (May 11 to 20), a total of 449 companies, including vehicle dealers, parts distributors, rental/lease dealers, and logistics systems and forklift dealers will conduct the spring Toyota Traffic Safety Campaign from April 1 to May 31.

This year's campaign will focus on "ensuring the safety of children," both as pedestrians and automobile passengers. TMC will engage actively in undertakings on the following topics:
1) Traffic safety education for children and their guardians.
2) Promotion of proper use of seatbelts and child safety seats.

In order to support education on child traffic safety, TMC has donated storytelling cards and picture books dealing with traffic safety to kindergartens, nursery schools and new kindergarten and nursery school students nationwide since 1969.

This year, to commemorate the coming 35th year of these activities, TMC has created "Papin" and "Chiroru" (imaginary characters based on plants and animals) as new illustration characters and plans to switch from the picture book format to a Flapper™ (booklet with unfolding panels), which allows children to have fun while actively learning about traffic safety. TMC will also create a traffic safety classroom on the Internet where children and their guardians can learn about traffic safety from their homes.


As part of its traffic safety education activities, throughout 2003, TMC will hold Toyota Driver Communication safe driving courses at Fuji Speedway and Mega Web and Toyota Child Safety Communication courses (at sites yet determined) on proper child safety seat use.


Traffic safety storytelling cards
and picture books

Traffic safety classroom
on the Internet
Details of this spring's Toyota Traffic Safety Campaign are as follows:
1. Traffic safety education for children and their guardians
1) Donation of traffic safety educational materials
In order to support education on child traffic safety, TMC will donate storytelling cards and picture books to kindergartens, nursery schools and new kindergarten and nursery school students nationwide.
a) Traffic safety storytelling cards:
Papin and Chiroru's Fishing Adventure
  Main point:
The danger of running into the street
Recipients:
Kindergartens, nursery schools, main libraries and children's facilities nationwide
Number of copies: Approximately 44,000
b) Traffic Safety Picture Book (Flapper™):
Papin Goes for a Drive
  Main point:
The danger of running into the street and the importance of child safety seats
Recipients:
New students at kindergartens and nursery schools nationwide, etc.
Number of copies: Approximately 2 million
2) Creation of an e-learning (Internet) traffic safety classroom (Available year-round)
TMC will create an area on its Web site where children and their guardians can have fun while learning about traffic safety at home.
  Traffic safety site:
Papin and Chiroru Learn about Traffic Safety
  Contents:
Papin and friends use text and voice to quiz visitors on traffic safety
Two people who complete the course will be selected at random each month to receive a Toyota G-Child Junior seat.
Web site address: http://www.toyota.co.jp/kids (only Japanese)
2. Promotion of proper use of seatbelts and child safety seats
1) Distribution of educational leaflets
TMC will distribute leaflets that explain the importance and effects of seatbelts and child safety seats and their proper use.
Educational leaflet:
Driving Safely with Kindness
  Distribution method: Distributed to customers at vehicle dealers, parts distributors and rental/lease dealers nationwide
Number of copies: Approximately 670,000
2) Provision of educational banners
TMC will distribute educational banners produced by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association for its traffic safety campaign.
Banner slogan:
Wearing seatbelts is a safe habit in both the front and back seats
  Display locations: Vehicle dealers, parts distributors, rental/lease dealers, logistics systems and forklift dealers and other locations (total of approximately 7,600 locations)
Note : This Safety Campaign is taking place only in Japan, and materials described above are only available in Japanese.

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