Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa is supporting Community Medical Services (CMS) and its affiliate, the Road Safety Foundation, with a sponsorship of R475 000 and the use of a Vito 114 CDI. This is in anticipation of an increase in road accidents, as the country is in the midst of the festive season.
CMS was established 39 years ago in an effort to curb the annual death and accident rates on South Africa’s national highways. It operates specifically around the Van Reenen’s Pass area, in KwaZulu-Natal, offering complimentary medical services, courtesy of doctors and paramedics who volunteer their time and resources.
As a manufacturer that is synonymous with consistently elevating safety levels of their vehicle line-up, made up of the Vito, V-Class and the Sprinter, Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa is also at the forefront in terms of increasing South Africa’s road safety levels.
The Mercedes-Benz Vito 114 CDI sponsored to CMS is used for medical research projects and road safety awareness programmes. After removing the Vito’s seats, the versatile van is often used to transport children’s car seats, as an alarming number of South African children are driven around without these life-saving restraints.
“Long weekends and the festive season in South Africa are the most brutal periods for road users, as we see a steep climb in the number of accidents and fatalities. It is encouraging to know that Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa – known for their unmatched safety in their vehicles – are putting their money where their mouth is,” says Phillip Hull, Founding Member of CMS and Director of the Road Safety Foundation.
“This is the third Vito that Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa has sponsored us with, and it really is a life-saving vehicle. Besides being capable of transporting our team of volunteers and their medical provisions, the Vito is the most ideal van, allowing us to provide medical care to those who need it the most,” he adds.
South Africa recorded 1 148 fatalities on its roads during the 2020 festive season, a figure that CMS aims to reduce this year, with the assistance of the Mercedes-Benz Vito.
Nadia Trimmel, Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa: “Every single life that is lost on our roads is one too many, and as the Mercedes-Benz Vans team, we are willing to assist in reducing the loss of life on our roads. We do this by sponsoring CMS with a Vito 114 CDI, a versatile vehicle perfect for unpredictable situations that the medical volunteers may face,” she said.
“Although the Vito is trusted by commerce, service and the trades industries, as it has a legacy of being reliable, safe and robust, it also provides a number of mobility solutions for the medical sector, offering a maximum payload of 1369 kilograms. This mid-sized van is making a positive difference on the N3, thanks to its high level of versatility and value-adding features, such as Active Brake Assist and DISTRONIC,” said Trimmel.
To find out more details about Road Safety Foundation, log on to www.rsfsa.org.za.