Get Checked, Life before speed
Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Hon. Cornelius de Weever, commends the collaboration between NAGICO Insurances and the Police Force of St. Maarten with respect to promoting road safety.
According to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) status report on road safety, 1.24 million people still die in road traffic crashes each year; 53 per cent of them are car drivers or car passengers, and 33 per cent pedestrians.
More than 23,500 pedestrians were killed on the roads in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2010, making pedestrians the most vulnerable group of road users in the region.
Minister of Public Health Hon. Cornelius de Weever, says the road safety initiative also falls within the scope of public health and calls on the community as part of his ‘Get Checked’ campaign especially motorists to check your speed and be observant of pedestrians, bike/bicycle riders (by adults and children) and other road users, and remember life before speed.
People walk on a daily basis which is good for one’s health and the environment, therefore walking should be a safe option for people everywhere.
Globally, more than 270,000 pedestrians lose their lives on the world’s roads each year, according to a WHO report.
The public-private sector collaboration entails erecting six road-side signs at strategic locations promoting road safety such as wearing your seatbelts and helmets, warning of the dangers of speeding and cell phone usage, and avoid drinking and driving.
In the Americas, pedestrians account for 23 per cent of all traffic fatalities region-wide, but the proportion varies across sub-regions, for example, 27 per cent in the Caribbean.
In addition to deaths, millions more pedestrians suffer injuries, which can require long hospital stays and lengthy rehabilitation or be permanently disabling. Given the high costs of care, these injuries can throw victims and their families into poverty and add to the burden of already fragile healthcare systems.