Prevent children from being left behind on buses! Free installation of a safety device (buzzer)! Supporting IDOM’s social contribution initiative—centered on its “Gulliver” used-car buyback and sales stores—with the power of PR

Hello. I’m Doi, a first-year new graduate in Division 1 of the Public Relations Business Headquarters!

In September 2022, there was a heartbreaking accident at a childcare facility in Shizuoka Prefecture in which a child was left behind on a school bus and died.I still remember how shocked I was when I saw it on the news.

In response to the accident, the government convened a review panel and decided to make it mandatory for kindergarten and nursery school operators nationwide to install safety devices on school buses, with April 2023 as the target. Ahead of this, individuals and companies have begun their own initiatives out of a desire to protect children’s safety as quickly as possible.

The “Gulliver Car Support Program, Phase 2,” which we supported with PR, was launched with the same intent and involves installing 100 safety devices (hereafter, anti-left-behind buzzers) free of charge for kindergarten and nursery school operators nationwide.

This time, I was able to attend the first free installation as a PR staff member, so I will report in detail on what it was like.

Why is IDOM providing free installation of anti-left-behind buzzers?

▲ Gulliver Setagaya Seijo store, where the first free installation was carried out

IDOM Co., Ltd., which operates primarily through “Gulliver” stores that buy and sell used cars nationwide, aims to provide a safe, secure, and fulfilling car life and offers a range of services centered on its vehicle buyback and sales business. The company also reportedly conducts support activities across Japan for people who feel anxious about getting around due to natural disasters or social disruption.

In 2020, when movement restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic were extremely strict, IDOM carried out initiatives such as the “Gulliver Car Support Program, Phase 1,” which used its vehicle inventory to provide cars free of charge to those who had no choice but to travel and to essential workers.

In response to the unacceptable accident of a child being left behind, the company launched this support initiative out of a desire to ease mobility-related anxiety as much as possible so that kindergarten operators in communities around its stores, the children who attend them, and their families can feel safe commuting.

What exactly is a safety device (anti-left-behind buzzer)?

In response to the September accident, various ideas have emerged—from types that use cameras to detect children left in the vehicle to types that use QR codes.

The anti-left-behind buzzer being distributed free of charge works exactly as its name suggests: it prevents children from being left behind by sounding a loud alarm.

▲ The safety device before being installed on the vehicle. It’s hard to tell what it is just by looking at it…

In simple terms, a buzzer installed at the very back of the vehicle starts sounding when the engine is turned off, and the driver must walk to the last row of seats and switch it off. Because the driver walks all the way to the back, they can check that no children remain in any of the seats.

▲ Installing the anti-left-behind buzzer at the rear of the bus

In fact, this mechanism was devised in response to the September accident by Yosuke Hatanaka, a father of three and the Director-General for Medical Crisis Management in Kanagawa Prefecture. It began when he consulted Oct Industry Co., Ltd., a group of product development specialists in Itabashi, Tokyo, to see if the idea could be turned into a real product.

Moved by Mr. Hatanaka’s passion, Oct Industry reportedly completed a prototype—originally said to take six months—in an astonishing roughly one week. Then, to deliver the completed anti-left-behind buzzer nationwide, IDOM, which operates stores and auto repair shops across Japan, agreed to cooperate.

Speed is everything! We want people across Japan to learn about it through the power of PR and create a positive impact on society!

About one month after the September accident, as children began returning to school, the media reported on parents voicing their anxiety.

Against this backdrop, IDOM approached SUNNY SIDE UP for advice: they wanted to urgently move forward with the free-provision initiative, complete the first installation within October, and use the power of PR to make this initiative known nationwide and appeal to society.

As a member of the PR team, I began working from early October. I also personally wanted to help prevent similar accidents, so despite the limited time, I made sure to approach the media quickly and carefully, conveying the thoughts and efforts of everyone involved.

By providing information quickly and responding flexibly on site, we successfully secured TV coverage!

▲ Kazuki Uemoto from IDOM being interviewed on site

On the day of the first installation, we were able to welcome coverage from two programs—TBS and TOKYO MX—as well as multiple reporters. Although unexpected situations arose on site, thanks to the flexible response of IDOM, on-site staff, and everyone involved, the story made it to broadcast successfully. It was also featured multiple times in newspapers and web news outlets.

It was a day when I truly felt that PR can create a positive impact on society!

I later heard that, following the coverage, inquiries about this initiative increased.

At SUNNY SIDE UP, we are always thinking about how we can make society better through the power of PR.

For me, this initiative became an invaluable experience—delivering important information to the public through the media and creating a positive impact on society.

Going forward, I will continue to hone my skills as a PR professional while continuing to think about social contributions that PR can help achieve!