FIA President Jean Todt and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach have today, 4 October, officially opened the FIA Road Safety Exhibition taking place at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. The pair were also joined by President of the Argentine Olympic Committee, Gerardo Werthein and CEO of the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee Leandro Larrosa.

Together with fellow IOC Members, city representatives and international media, they were the first to experience the various interactive displays at the FIA event space, which feature the #3500LIVES Global Road Safety Campaign.

Produced by the FIA in partnership with number one outdoor advertising company JCDecaux, this campaign promotes simple and universal tips to make roads safer for all, the FIA’s Golden Rules for Road Safety, which were presented for the first time during an Olympic event. With road crashes being the number one cause of death for young people between the ages of 15-29 worldwide, these rules are especially relevant to the Youth Olympic Games. The campaign visuals, featuring 15 world-renowned ambassadors from the sport, music and film industries, will also be shown on billboards across Buenos Aires throughout the Games.

In the spirit of competition and bringing together both the Mobility and Sport pillars of the FIA, the second part of the Exhibition features an Electric Karting Experience. The track, which runs alongside the main Road Safety event space in Green Park, was opened with a demonstration from eight young karters from the local area.

Following the initial demonstration by the bright young boys and girls of Buenos Aires, guests including IOC President Bach then had a chance to try the E-Karts for themselves.

The Exhibition and E-Karting Experience will be open to all visitors to Green Park throughout the Games from 7-17 October.

FIA President, Jean Todt, said: “This is a very important moment for the FIA, and I would like to thank my friends Thomas Bach and Gerardo Werthein, together with the whole Olympic Community for a warm welcome as we join in one of their events for the first time. This Road Safety Exhibition will be visited by thousands of people over the coming weeks here in Buenos Aires, and many of them will be the youngsters most at risk on the roads. For me it is essential to continue this work with the Youth Olympic Games to raise awareness and encourage safer mobility.

"It is also exciting to be able to complement this with an Electric Karting Experience. This is something which I think will become increasingly popular in the coming years and will be a fun way for people to engage with what they learn from our Exhibition and to introduce them to motor sport in a safe and sustainable environment."

IOC President, Thomas Bach, said: "The IOC is supporting the FIA's #3500LIVES campaign because we have a shared concern for the wellbeing and safety of young people around the world. Through its universal appeal and global reach, sport is in a unique position to raise awareness on this important issue. This is why the Youth Olympic Games are a perfect occasion to reach young people and teach them about the importance of road safety.

"Let me thank my dear friend Jean Todt, for being the driving force behind this important initiative. Together, we can make the world a better and safer place for the youth of the world - it is our privilege to stand at your side to achieve this important goal."