Road Safety — a Global Concern

One of the many issues that we saw tackled extensively during the 2006 Challenge Bibendum held recently in Paris, France was ‘road safety’. It was actually one of the three major concerns addressed during the conference together with ‘the energy challenge for tomorrow’s road transport’ and ‘advance technologies to support increasing urban road mobility’. As I have reported previously in this column, the Challenge Bibendum is a regular meeting of all those in the automobile stakeholder community composed of auto makers, energy suppliers and their technology partners, NGOs and those from the different governments aimed at discussing the future of mobility in the world. The event, which is initiated by Michelin, is covered by the world media in order to report on the powerful discussions of people who matter that are concerned with these issues and possible findings from most current technological studies on this matter of global concern.

Now, on the issue of ‘road safety’ I also learned from that trip that aside from the focused discussions and debates done on the topic during this powerful Challenge Bibendum conference, other groups have put together their resources to address this global issue. One of such is the GRSP or Global Road Safety Partnership.

The GRSP is a global partnership involving business, civil society and governments dedicated to the sustainable reduction of road crashes in developing and transition countries. Initiated by the World Bank in 1999, the GRSP Secretariat is hosted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva.

By creating and strengthening links between partners, GRSP aims to increase awareness of road safety as an issue affecting all parts of society and to generate common ownership of interventions. GRSP seeks to establish sustainable partnerships and to improve road safety interventions via increased resources, better management, greater innovation, and knowledge sharing.

The partnership operates in focus countries where: road safety has been identified as a problem; governments are willing to tackle the issue; and there is an agreed framework — usually a national road safety action programme — within which GRSP can operate.

Looking at the list of those involved in the partnership as contributing members, it would be worthy of note that no lines have been drawn between business competitors. We see listed companies like British Petroleum, Shell International Petroleum Co. and Total, competitors all in the oil industry while those keenly competing in auto manufacturing include companies like DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation.

Similarly, as we at SPMJ, Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists pursue our advocacy of promoting road safety through education of the youth, have always emphasized that there are just too many to reach for just one or two companies to help us out. There are many schools just in Metro Manila alone where we hope to hold our seminars on road safety for only a few responsible corporate citizens to work with us.

Currently, Toyota Motor Philippines and Ford Group Philippines, competitors in the industry who share the same concern in promoting road safety, are in the forefront in "adopting" schools in the metro where SPMJ’s "Early Warning" seminars are being held. They underwrite the logistics required for these seminars that guide the teachers in these schools on how to teach their students to be responsible and safe road users and also on the school’s top students for them to pass on the awareness on road safety to their other fellow students.

It’s a long road still ahead of us and we need all the help — competitors or not.

Like having an EVO without paying for it

It’s been a while since I last drove a Lancer. I had the chance again a couple of weeks ago, this time its latest model, the Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 GT, thanks to our friends from Mitsubishi Motors Philippines avp for marketing services, Froy Dytianquin and his very able and trusted deputy, Arlan Reyes. And boy did I get the surprise of my life!

This car can surge and surge fast, giving the driver that much confidence in any kind of overtaking maneuver. And why not? When you look under the hood you’ll find the proven 4G63 2-liter engine, with double overhead camshaft complete with 16 valves. Attuned to Euro 2 emission standards, the power train produces a conservatively rated 135 PS at 5,750 rpm and 18 Kg-m of torque at 4,500 rpm.

No wonder Mel Dizon, Mitsubishi’s senior vp for marketing was insisting that I had enough time with the car to be able to experience it in various driving and road conditions. It can give you that spirited, speed up anytime confidence on the open road, especially when you opt for the "Sports Mode" when you really take command of all the horses under the hood by the mere up and down movement of the stick shift as you wish to go up or down the gears — the state of the art 4-speed automatic with INVECS II at work. Now, while on stop-and-go traffic, just put the shifter on "D" and relax and the drivetrain shall cruise in full automatic.

For looks, the front and rear bumpers are inspired by Ralliart, Mitsubishi’s motor sports group, and the rocker panels are similarly modified with a sporty body kit. The multi-reflector headlamps have smoked, black lenses — talk of street racing stance.

Now, not just for more sporty looks but for stick-to-the-road handling as well, the Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 GT zooms on 55 series, 16 inch tires mounted on 5-spoke, aero design aluminum wheels to compliment a remarkable suspension system composed of McPherson struts up front and a rear multilink suspension system.

There’s still a lot of column inches needed to describe this highly improved Lancer but I would leave that all that excitement to you when you discover them during your own test drive, which you can have in any of the Mitsubishi Dealerships nationwide.

No, the performance and looks are not those of the vaunted Mitsubishi Evolution, but I tell you as you drive it around it can make you feel like having and EVO without having to pay a king’s ransom for it.

Pit Lane Notes

Is Schumy really on the groove for a come back — his prelude to retirement?

Speculations are ripe that the holder of many records of sorts in Formula 1 is really gearing up to capture once again the world title in order to have a more apt and graceful exit in 2007 rather than fade away with a very young pretender seated on the throne.

Well, if the recently held US Grand Prix top podium finish win would be used as an indicator to lend credence to such theory then the multi-titled Michael Schumacher may well be on his merry way to achieving the feat with only the 19-point lead of current world champion and series leader Fernando Alonso to wipe off.

We can only wait for the series to go back to Europe in a week’s time for the French Grand Prix to find out.

Motoring Tip of the Week

With the rainy season already in our midst, you don’t have to endure rain inside your vehicles while there’s a downpour just because of old and hardened weather strips. You can check out your vehicle for leaks just by subjecting it to the water test by continuously dousing it with water from a water hose. While inside, mark the areas of the leaks, especially in the areas surrounding the windshield, where you can apply sealant after.

Happy Motoring!!!

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