SGI is continuing to preach the message of “buckle up”.
SGI says while most people do buckle up, there are still too many who don’t.
In last year’s Traffic Safety Spotlights, police reported more than 47-hundred offences for failing to wear a seatbelt or not using the appropriate booster seat or car seat for kids.
Their latest, and most creative, way of getting the message across is through a small remote-controlled robot called “Bucklebot”.
Standing just under a metre tall, Bucklebot is a remote-controlled robot that can talk as well as answer seatbelt and traffic safety-related questions with help from a nearby assistant with a wireless headset.
“One of the reasons for Bucklebot – as you might guess from the name – is to teach seatbelt safety to kids, and establishing those good habits early with children that will, hopefully, last a lifetime,” McMurchy explained.
“We also think that children will help be a good influence on their parents as well; maybe mom or dad isn’t as diligent about doing up a seatbelt as perhaps they should be. The child might say, ‘hey, mom, dad, Bucklebot told me you got to buckle up’”.
McMurchy says Bucklebot will be going wherever SGI’s Safety Squad goes.
“It’ll be travelling around Saskatchewan, appearing at safety days, schools, community events. The Safety Squad holds a number of car seat clinics throughout the province as well,” he said.
To request Bucklebot at your event, visit www.sgi.sk.ca/safetysquad.
