Renault releases interactive road safety game for kids with eye on reducing global fatalities

Dubbed "Safety and Mobility for All", the new digital game is part of an expansion of Renault’s own identically named road safety program initiated in 2000 – aimed at helping to achieve the United Nations’ objective of halving road fatalities by 2020.

Designed for seven- to 12-year-olds and playable via PCs, Macs, tablets and smartphones, Renault says the game can be played at home with the family, in the classroom or as part of other educational programs related to similar safety and sustainability themes.

Based around two young characters, Lea and Jules, the game focuses on the pair organising various trips where, through role-playing exercises, children playing along are introduced to real-world considerations such as road signs, directions of traffic, the driving code and weather conditions.

According to the French car maker, to succeed, players must rely on their capacity for observation, critical faculties and team spirit while at the same time are being made aware of aspects of sustainable mobility including car-pooling, electric vehicles, renewable energies and recycling.

Claiming that children and teenagers make up a significant portion of the world’s “vulnerable road users” – this "vulnerable user" sub-set is incidentally cited as accounting for 70 per cent of the 20 to 50 million annual global fatalities – Renault corporate social responsibility vice president Claire Martin said "we therefore believe it is essential to continue our efforts to increase awareness of the risks on the roads".

“By developing an interactive game inspired by the Safety and Mobility for All program, Renault is counting on new technologies and fun approaches to reach large numbers of young people so they can play an active role in their own safety,” Martin said.

Available at no cost, the Safety and Mobility for All game is playable now in English and French, with Spanish to follow.

The game's release comes shortly after the company received a disappointing three-star Euro NCAP result for its updated Megane range.

What age do you think road safety education should start? Tell us in the comments section below.