‘This Epidemic Can Be Stemmed’: Maltese NGO Launches Campaign On Traffic Victims’ Day
Maltese NGO Doctors for Road Safety has launched a campaign to commemorate World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims: a sobering day reminding Malta of all the lives needlessly lost due to traffic accidents.
“We wish to remind that injuries and deaths on our roads are no accident and that with a safe systems approach, this epidemic can be stemmed,” the organisation wrote on social media, after expressing its deep sadness for “those who lost their lives on our roads”.
“They, their families, and loved ones will be in our thoughts and prayers during this day, and in our hearts when we continue promoting road safety and lobbying with the authorities and stakeholders to continue striving to improve safety on our roads.”
The initiative was officially launched earlier today on social media. It’s taking place as a poster campaign on Tallinja buses calling for Safer Roads.
Four separate themes were chosen to highlight the major issues that need to be addressed to have safer roads in Malta.
These include driving with excessive speed, driving while distracted, especially whilst using a mobile phone, driving under the influence of either alcohol or psychoactive drugs, and finally the impact of respect and courtesy as a positive influence.
The campaign will run for six months and it will be accompanied by social media messages along the same themes.
This campaign was supported by a donation from Lady Stephanie and Sir Martin Laing, and by the Tara Malou Licari Fund.
It’s common knowledge on the island that Malta’s roads are unsafe and with the number of cars drastically and consistently climbing, it’s no surprise that the situation has gotten somewhat out of control.
Last year specifically proved to be an extremely dangerous one for road users with one person dying every two weeks on Malta’s roads.
Similarly, over just 10 months in 2022, 22 deaths were registered.
Do you think that this initiative will have a significant impact?
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