BeyondHeadlines News Desk
Pune : With an aim to create awareness about the dangers of speeding, Safe Kids Cycle Carnival was organised to support the UN Global Road Safety Week (8th – 14th May 2017), which seeks to increase understanding of the dangers of speed as a factor for road traffic deaths and injuries, and encourages drivers to slow down. Safe Kids Foundation is promoting Global Road Safety Week’s Save Lives Slow Down campaign to increase understanding of the dangers of speed -with a special focus on how it impacts the safety of children.
As Rupa Kothari, Managing Trustee, Safe Kids Foundation flagged off the rally, over 300 cycling enthusiasts peddled away to spread the message of road safety in Pune. The rally was a part of Safe Kids Cycle Carnival organised by the Safe Kids Foundation in association with Pune Traffic Police and Pune Gramin Police.
Children, youth and road safety advocates like Mr. Jugal Rathi, and Mr. Pravin Jhele participated in the Safe Kids Cycle Carnival.
Rupa Kothari, Managing Trustee, Safe Kids Foundation said, ‘‘Road safety is a serious issue that is likely to grow significantly in the immediate future, if we don’t act now”. Pune has seen exponential growth in the last few years and so have road safety concerns related to the use of two wheelers and over speeding. Safe Kids Foundation believes that educating the citizens around focused areas like managing speed, use of helmets and seat belts will help reduce the prevalence of road accidents. Encouraged with the overwhelming response to the Safe Kids Cycle Carnival, we will continue to engage the citizens to observe road safety measures.”
Expressing his views on the occasion, Mr. Krishna Prakash, Special Inspector General of Police, Mumbai said, “I feel wonderful to be a part of Safe Kids Cycle Carnival organised by Safe Kids Foundation to create awareness among general public and especially among the youth about Speed Management which is theme of Global Road Safety Week 2017.
The accidental deaths and accidental injuries are the largest contributions so far as intentional injuries and natural deaths are concerned. Maximum number of victims of the road accidents were riders of two wheelers. The main reasons of these accidents are over speeding, dangerous and careless driving, careless overtaking and poor weather conditions. Most of these intentional injuries are avoidable. This requires conceptional change and institutionalisation of road safety codes. Hence to create awareness among the riders particular youth groups and children is the need of the hour.
I further laud your efforts to take along all the stake holders like traffic police, RTO’s and NGO’s in your endeavour towards mitigating road accidents and intentional injuries.”
WHY ROAD SAFETY IS IMPORTANT!
About Safe Kids Foundation
Safe Kids Foundation (SKF) is an organisation dedicated to the prevention of unintentional childhood injuries, which is the leading cause of death and disability of children globally. Safe Kids Foundation, India became a member of Safe Kids Worldwide in 2006 and works in close collaboration with Safe Kids Worldwide to improve the lives of children in India. The goal is to prevent unintentional injuries to children by bringing about changes in attitudes, behaviour, practices, laws and environment. Our programs are based on four pillars of Awareness, Education, Advocacy and Research.
We, at Safe Kids Foundation, are committed to develop a “Safe Environment” enabling our children to lead healthy and vibrant lives. Current program activities focus on promoting road safety and home safety.
“Safe Kids Walk This Way”– a pedestrian safety program sponsored by FedEx has reached out to more than 3,100 schools and nearly 4.5 million children through educational sessions and events in Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad from 2007 to 2016.
