QuadPara Association to drive a strong message about seat belts this festive season
The QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) is involved in a festive season campaign to put focus on the importance of wearing seat belts to prevent a spinal cord injury in the event of an accident.
From December 8, quadriplegics and paraplegics will be deployed at six garages on national roads, encouraging motorists to buckle up in order to reduce the number of spinal cord injuries from road accidents on South African roads.
The theme of the campaign is “Buckle Up – we don’t want new members!”
Motorists will be approached at the garages by quadriplegics and paraplegics and asked to sign a pledge to buckle up and, in return, they will receive a branded licence-disk sticker.
The 42 quadriplegics and paraplegics involved with this road safety campaign will be wearing branded bibs which identify them as campaigners.
The association has evidence that if you are wearing your seat belt and are involved in an accident, your chances of sustaining a spinal cord injury are drastically reduced.
According to QASA, more than 900 people become spinal cord injured in South Africa every year and half of these are from road accidents.
The ‘Buckle Up – we don’t want new members’ campaign was awarded the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists Road Safety Project of the Year award.
This year, the campaign is supported by the Road Accident Fund and the Round Table’s Cannonball Run event.
QASA is a member of the Global Road Safety Partnership, thereby demonstrating their commitment to road safety in South Africa.
The association also supports the decade of action for road safety and endorses any reasonable initiatives to prevent injury and death on South African roads.
- Handouts
The CEO of QASA, Ari Seirlis, said the association is proud to deliver a road safety programme to the public.
“Not only will we reduce the number of spinal injuries in accidents, but employ our own members – some of whom were victims of road accidents – in implementing the project.
So often, charities are seen with their hands out for handouts, but through this campaign, we extend a hand to the South African public, giving something back in the form of an awareness campaign that will save millions in rehabilitation costs and reduce the number of persons becoming disabled.
“We owe our road users this campaign,” Seirlis said.
He said QASA is proud to have a strong partnership with the Road Accident Fund who assist in the resourcing of this initiative.
“QASA makes a big investment to prevent incidents and this exercise is a demonstration of our commitment to reducing the number of spinal cord injuries in South Africa.
“Distracted driving is also on our agenda, whereby we encourage road users not to use their mobile phones while driving, whether for talking or texting.”
* December 3 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
