FATAL road accidents figures have dropped by 41.7 per cent during the 2005-2010 period, while injuries resulting from road accidents fell by 50.4 per cent in comparison to respective average figures of the 1999-2003 period, according to Alekos Michaelides, Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Works.
“This success is no fluke. It has been the result of coordinated action by many public and private actors” said Michaelides
Michaelides was speaking on behalf of the Communications and Works Minister at a press conference yesterday, marking the beginning of a ten day Pancyprian Information Youth Campaign, organised jointly by youth organisation for Cyprus road safety REACTION, youth newspaper Click and sponsored by MTN. The campaign’s target is to inform young people of the dangers of using the mobile phone while driving.
“Over thirty percent of road accidents are caused due to drivers being distracted, and the most serious and common distraction while driving is the use of mobile phones” said Marios Stavrou, President of REACTION.
“Research has shown that a driver’s reflexes while calling and texting are at the same low level as a drink-driver and it is cyclists and pedestrians that tend to be the main victims of road accidents caused by this” he added.
“This campaign highlights that young people are not part of the problem, but part of its solution” said Stavrou.
Michaelides recognised that the dangerous habit of using the phone while driving had become part of Cyprus driving culture, but expressed his belief that the new generation could bring a change to that.
“Traffic education has been incorporated in public schools for some years now and children receive the necessary foundations to build a ‘European’ culture of road safety” said Michaelides.
Organisers will be distributing information leaflets and material at central road arteries and schools and there will also be a live radio event.
The recently appointed CEO of MTN Cyprus, Pieter Verkade expressed the company’s satisfaction at participating in the campaign, while wealthy businessman Nicos Shacolas, who chairs MTN Cyprus’ Board of Directors, promised that the company would continue helping in the effort to reduce road accidents in Cyprus by similar information campaigns.
The campaign is being conducted under the auspices of the Communication and Works and the Justice and Public Order Ministries and runs until October 8. Among the audience were police chief Michalis Papageorgiou and Head of the Ministry’s Unit Road Safety, Giorgos Morfakis.
