The 4th Global Road Safety Week, focusing on safe driving and speed management on roads, was marked last week by the Federation of Indian Automobile Associations (FIAA) in collaboration with its regional automobile associations. This was part of a United Nations initiative as the FIAA had been a participant in the UN Global Road Safety Week even last year, under the theme “Save kids’ life with Road Safety”. FIAA regional clubs have already administered the pledge to over 50,000 persons belonging to the driving community, in support of the UN Global Road Safety programmes.
The Automobile Association of Upper India (AAUI) undertook a campaign called “Save Lives, Slow down”, through which special training was imparted to over 60 drivers, who were taught to maintain the speed limit when on state highways, national highways and on city roads. In the specially organised function to mark the conclusion of the Global Safety Week, truck and bus drivers were administered the pledge “Milke Kasam Khanyenge, Garhi slow chalayenge”.
T.K. Malhotra, president of AAUI and a well-known road safety expert, told The Sunday Guardian, “Speed contributes to around one-third of all fatal road traffic crashes in high income countries and up to half of all those in low and middle income countries. By slowing down, observing speed limits appropriate for the roads and not speeding, we make the roads safer for all, including for children walking to school or for the elderly crossing the road. “
“My goal is to commit and build a momentum and reach this sustainable development goal for halving the number of global deaths and injuries from road accidents by 2020, and the AAUI is a mission driven organisation,” Malhotra added.