SQM Yodo Nutrición Vegetal held first Road Safety Fair in María Elena

More than a hundred students from the Arturo Pérez Canto School and the Humanities and Science Professional Technical High School (TPCH) participated in María Elena’s first Road Safety Fair, an initiative to promote a road safety culture among the municipality’s children and young people.

SQM Yodo Nutrición Vegetal’s Land Transportation Area organized the fair with Chile’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and the National Traffic Safety Commission (CONASET) support.

Alberto Escobar, SQM Yodo Nutrición Vegetal’s Assistant Manager of Ground Transportation, commented, “This event was very important for us. We firmly believe that educating children creates a road safety culture since they promote safety in their families and the surrounding community.”

The event involved several theoretical and practical workshops, where attendees learned first-hand about best practices for driving and interacting with vehicles on the road and the risks associated with driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol and other factors.

The Mayor of María Elena, Omar Norambuena, said, “I want to congratulate those behind the initiative. Safety is very important, especially for our students, who have been part of this very important demonstration made possible by a public-private alliance.”

Importantly, the event activities were made possible thanks to collaboration from Pacto por la Seguridad Vial and SQM contractors—Gauss Control, Nazar, Seeing Machines and Automóvil Club de Chile. The contractors demonstrated their rollover simulators and float-shifting practice devices.

Transporte Nazar presented its electric fleet, teaching students about its composition and functions and enabling them to interact with the machines.

Lucía Parra, a risk prevention specialist at SQM Yodo Nutrición Vegetal’s Coya Sur site, explained, “Our area wanted the contractors we work with every day monitoring trucks to participate. We wanted to bring them to the event so they could share their experience and knowledge with everyone. It is enriching to take what we do in terms of control to other trucks in the community and that they learn about the many controls that help us prevent traffic accidents.”

One event participant, Ayleen Aguilera, a student at TPCH High School, expressed her gratitude that this type of event was held in the community. “I feel learning about accident prevention at an early age is a very good experience. We also learned what the electric trucks are made of and how they work. I think it was a great activity,” she said.

Fernanda Madrid, a Arturo Pérez Canto School student, commented, “I think it is wonderful that SQM is doing this activity. It shows they are taking the measures necessary to prevent accidents from occurring on the highways and roads in our community.”

RAEV (Risk of Accident due to Excessive Speed)

The Road Safety Fair was one of this year’s SQM Yodo Nutrición Vegetal’s Ground Transportation team’s initiatives to raise awareness and promote effective on- and off-site safety management.

For the fourth consecutive year, the company recently received the RAEV award in the Mining Client category, granted by CONASET and Migtra. The award recognizes cargo transportation companies that have reduced the risks associated with highway speeding.