Dr. Neumann, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, launches the fourth season of Volkswagen Road Safety program.

Molly Yang, vice president of Volkswagen Group China, introduces the educational TV program.

With about 100,000 fatalities each year, China's roads are among the most dangerous in the world.

To help improve safety awareness, Volkswagen Group China began producing a traffic education TV series four years ago.

The German automaker is continuing the effort with the June 10 launch of the series' fourth season, which focuses on child safety.

"The Volkswagen Road Safety program is one of our key initiatives," said Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann, Volkswagen Group China president and CEO, at the launch ceremony.

"Today, we launch the fourth season that pays special attention to road safety for children, showing parents and their children the best practices to keep them safe - both in the car and on the road."

The ceremony also brought out two of China's top road safety experts, Professor Wang Hongyan of Tongji University, and Professor Fan Li. Their participation underscored Volkswagen's continued research into road safety issues and solutions in China.

Since 2005, Volkswagen has collaborated with Tongji, Jilin University and other Chinese institutes to collect data on road conditions and accidents, compiling an extensive database that is instrumental in understanding the traffic situation today.

Each season of the road safety TV program leverages the power of the database, analyzing accidents and identifying causes to help the audience prevent them in the future.

"Building a comprehensive road safety analysis database, educating everyone on proper traffic behavior, and of course producing safe cars, are three key approaches that Volkswagen has taken to make China's roads safer," said Neumann.

"Child safety is a cornerstone for the confidence and happiness of millions of families across China," said Neumann.

Children at higher risk

"Research shows that children are exposed to higher injury risks than adults. We aim to raise awareness of safety issues and promote safer behavior."

The 10 five-minute episodes explore road safety from a variety of angles. A key issue is child safety seats - from the best options to proper installation.

Each Volkswagen sold in China is equipped with international-standard attachment points for child safety seats, known as ISOFIX.

Using a child safety seat can reduce the likelihood of fatality or serious injury by 60 percent.

Nearly 18,500 children under the age of 14 die in traffic accidents each year in China, according to government statistics, making traffic fatalities the leading cause of death for young people in China.

"Building on our core corporate values, Volkswagen is focused on bringing the zero fatality ideal to China's roads," said Neumann.

In addition to its road safety research and TV programs, "Volkswagen's commitment to safe products and innovative safety features is helping move China toward the zero fatality ideal", the company said.

Neumann added that "Volkswagen has received five-star C-NCAP safety certification for almost all its models on the road today in China".

"Volkswagen is committed to making China's roads safer for all drivers, pedestrians and children," said Neumann.

"We believe the launch of the fourth season of the Volkswagen Road Safety show will further promote public awareness. We will continue to work with our partners across China to understand and overcome every challenge to make our roads safer. Together, we will drive China toward a truly safe and sustainable automotive society."

From June 10, the TV program, along with special features for mastering children's road safety skills, can be viewed online at the program's official website: www.vwroadsafety.com.

Audiences can also watch and comment on the series via online video portals such as Youku, Sina, Sohu, Tencent and 163.com.

Children and staff members of Volkswagen Group China sing Red Light, Green Light, the Volkswagen Road Safety song. Photos provided to China Daily