WITH the aim of reducing spinal cord injuries in road accidents, the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) has commenced with its campaign and is encouraging motorists to wear their seatbelts during the July holidays.
As part of the ‘Buckle Up – We Don’t Want New Members’ campaign, quadriplegics and paraplegics will be deployed at five 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.
Ari Seirlis, CEO of the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA), said, “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 license disk sticker. Quadriplegics and paraplegics involved with this road safety campaign will be branded with bibs which identify them as campaigners and will introduce themselves in order to encourage motorists to wear their seatbelts on their journey.
“We are proud to deliver a road safety programme to the public, and not only will we reduce the number of people sustaining spinal injuries in accidents, but we employ our own members in implementing the project. Some of the very victims of road accidents will be at the garage sites, encouraging road safety to the public. QASA is also proud to have a strong partnership with the Road Accident Fund and the Round Table Club of Sandown 150 through their Cannonball Run event, which assists with the resourcing of this initiative. Distracted driving is also on our agenda, where we encourage road users not to use their mobile phones whilst driving, whether that is talking or texting.”
Twenty-five members of QASA have been employed for this project, and the association is proud to be part of this road safety initiative as part of its commitment to the prevention of spinal cord injuries and disability.
Fact: More than 900 people sustain spinal cord injuries in South Africa per annum, and half of these from road accidents.
