Kunhadi marks its 8th anniversary and unveils its forthcoming projects
Kunhad celebrated its 8th anniversary in a gala dinner at Pavillon – Biel on Tuesday November 4, 2014.
Renowned talk show host Neshan Der Haroutounian opened the ceremony with a moving speech describing the sudden painful blow of death and invited the guests to break the habit of taking a moment of silence in memory of the deceased and replace it with a round of applause for all mothers, parents and friends, who despite suffering from the tragic loss of a loved one in a car crash, continue their lives with hope, faith and love.
Kunhadi’s legal consultant Mr. Marc Habka (Beirut Legal law firm) gave a brief summary of the organization’s legal achievements among which was contributing to the amendments of the new traffic law and legal projects suggested by the organization through the parliament concerning road safety.
Throughout his speech, Kunhadi’s president Mr. Fady Gebrane compared the yearly increase of the toll of traffic crashes (based on the Internal Security Forces statistics) that showed a decrease of 3% between the years 2006 and 2013 thanks to Kunhadi’s relentless road safety projects and the sporadic implementation of the traffic law. However, during the same period of time, Lebanon witnessed a growing toll of traffic fatalities by 9% reaching a total of 650 fatality per year and 54 per month, and expected 108 additional victims before the end of 2014.
Gebrane invited guests to wonder if they, their family members or friends, will be among the near-future victims and offered those who do not wish to be among the dead six vaccines against fatal car crashes:
- Respecting the speed limit
- Not driving under the influence of alcohol
- Wearing the helmet and buckling it
- Not driving when fatigued
- Fastening the seatbelt, on the front and back seats
- Never using the mobile while driving
Gebrane recounted an experiment Kunhadi conducted back in 2010 where it offered a crash data collection software to the Red Cross in the purpose of collecting information about traffic crashes. The results showed that over 70% of traffic crashes are caused by the excess of speed limit.
Within this context, Kunhadi presented the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior at the time with a study proving the strict implementation of speed limits to have the power to decrease the toll of traffic crashes by 35%. And surely enough, speed regulations were implanted throughout two months in 2011 during which traffic crashes decreased by 40%
The NGO’s president then explained the role of traffic crashes in hindering the economical development, by costing over 1.4 billion US Dollars yearly, i.e., 3% of Lebanon’s GDP. Gebrane stated if laws concerned with limiting speed alone were strictly enforced, they will reduce the toll of traffic crashes by 40% leading an increase of 1.5% in GDP growth. “Which means we can help Bank of Lebanon’s governor to reach his goal and increase the GDP by 4%”, Gebrane announced.
Gebrane concluded with Kunhadi’s achievements for the year 2014:
- Weekly Road safety conferences in schools and universities
- Participated in the Pilot Project initiated by the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP MENA) on Antelias – Byblos highway, whereby Kunhadi took on awareness role and liaised between the GRSP and Kunhadi’s media agency M&C Saatchi to design the visuals and choose the campaign’s slogan
- Installation of retro-reflective markings on Antelias – Bekfayya highway
- Recordind of 42 road safety TV tip based on the Lebanese traffic law
- Distribution of 600 helmet for free to Zaatar w Zeit’s delivery boys and taught them how to correctly buckle them to benefit from its protection
- Hosting two Taxi Nights parties, where guests arrive to the venue and leave to their houses in Taxis offered for free by Kunhadi to raise awareness against drunk driving
- Launching two road safety campaigns about distracted driving and drunk driving
- Raising awareness against drunk driving on NYE and offering free taxis to certain night clubs to be used by party-goers too drunk to drive. This initiative inspired the Ministry of Interior to collaborate with the syndicate of Taxis to take this project nation-wide and offer a free taxi to anyone too drunk to drive on this eve
- Receiving the Best Idealistic NGO award, under the patronage of Ministry of Social Affairs, UNDP and Quality System International
- Establishment of the first traffic victims support center in Lebanon
- Establishment of a pro-bono driving school for Taxi drivers
- Launching a new traffic victims remembrance garden
Mrs. Abou Ayyash explained the reason behind her interest in working with Kunhadi is rooted in the organization’s devotion and successful achievements in the cause of road safety.
