Kunhadi Launches Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020
The toll of traffic fatalities in Lebanon is alarmingly high- 770 fatalities in 2010. Unless immediate action is taken, this number is expected to rise to 1130 yearly fatalities by 2020.
Aligning its work with the plan of action of global campaign launched by the United Nations, the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, Kunhadi launched this campaign in Lebanon on May 11th 2011, at UNESCO Palace.
The launch began by a high profile press conference in the presence of:
- Minister of Interior Mr. Ziad Baroud
- President of the Economic and Social Council Mr. Roger Nasnas
- Representatives of the ministry of health and ministry of education
- Representative of the World Bank Dr. Said Dahdah
- Representative of the World Health Organization Dr. Ziad Mansour
- Director, Actor and the Ambassador of the DOA in Lebanon Mr. Georges Khabbaz
- Representative of the Red Cross Mr. Charbel Aaydamouni
Kunhadi Vice President Mrs. Lena Gebrane announced Kunhadi’s plan to reduce the foreseen number of yearly traffic fatalities in 2020 from 1130 to 565, hence preventing around 3000 lives, through:
Pillar 1: Building road safety management capacity and funding
1. Creating a road safety Alliance that will fund and monitor road safety activities and improvements. ?The Alliance will join different companies from the private sectors, like: Audi Bank, AXA Insurance, Bridgestone, Roadsters’ Diner, and many more.?The companies will join hands in making our roads safe for all users.
Pillar 2: Upgrading road safety infrastructure
2. Installing retro-reflective markings and road signs on hazardous roads, making dangerous turns visible to drivers at night
3. Installing safe crossing in front of Lebanese schools
Pillar 4: Improving road user behavior
4. Collaborating with the ministry of Interior to enforce strict laws against speed and drunk driving
5. Collaborating with the Ministry of Education, road ethics and regulations will be inserted in academic curriculums
6. Spreading carpooling, notably among university students
7. Kunhadi will launch two road safety campaigns per year
8. Spreading awareness about the use of Safe Crossing and Pedestrian Bridges
9. We will carry on giving at least three road safety presentations per week
10. Training and distributing helmets and high-visibility jackets to road officers and delivery boys
Pillar 5: Enchancing posts-crash care
11. Establishing a Road Victim Support Center to assist traffic victims in their professional and social reinsertion
At the end of the press conference, Minister of Interior Ziad Baroud signed on a pledge to drive safely created by Kunhadi in collaboration with Bank Audi, and he tried the seatbelt convincer.
More than 1000 young students participated in Kunhadi’s road safety presentations all day long and they tried the Vision Impairment Goggles and the Seatbelt convincer to experience for themselves the dangerous influence of alcohol on the driver and the benefits of buckling the seatbelt in the car.
Many students and participants signed the pledges to drive in a conscientious manner and were offered High Visibility jackets and the Decade of Action tags, by Kunhadi.
The launch was concluded with a concert dedicated to road safety by Band Audi.
