- SBI Life Insurance-Ahmedabad Traffic Police host public awareness drive on road safety & self ‘protection’
- Parents keep Rs 15 lakh to 20 lakh for their children’s higher education ignoring the fact that an ISI-marked quality helmet costing Rs 1,500 will ensure their safety, in case of any accident: Safin Hasan, DCP – Traffic East Ahmedabad City
- As per the Road Safety Council, around 2400 people on an average in the last five years lost their lives in accidents in Ahmedabad due to lack of safety gears
- A notable 73% of the demographic falls within the 18-45 age bracket, a range that encompasses the family’s primary earners
GOWRI MANICKAVASAGAM
AHMEDABAD, AUG 29
With an avowed aim to inculcate the good habit of wearing helmets and seatbelts among children, parents and all vehicle riders and drivers, SBI Life Insurance and Ahmedabad Traffic Police have distributed free helmets to school as well as college going children and took out a grand bike rally of traffic police and veteran riders here on Monday.
Kickstarting the public awareness drive, highlighting the importance of protection in one’s lives, a top traffic police officer said that parents are the role model for the children. If they follow the good habit of wearing helmets and seatbelts for three months, considering the family members’ welfare, it will send a strong message to their wards that helmets and seatbelts are meant for their safety. Parents keep Rs 15 lakh to 20 lakh for their children’s higher education ignoring the fact that an ISI-marked quality helmet costing Rs 1,500 will ensure their safety, in case of any accident. Thus they can offer the precious gift of life and education to their children, said Safin Hasan, DCP – Traffic East Ahmedabad City.
To drive home this important message, Safin Hasan, DCP – Traffic East Ahmedabad City, said, “The collaborative efforts undertaken by the Ahmedabad Traffic Police & SBI Life Insurance is to spur conversations amongst the locals around the importance of protection and encourage them to take steps towards safeguarding their lives and that of their loved ones especially the child passengers-the most ignored riders. Making use of protective head gears while riding motorcycles will ensure safety from any uncertain mishap. Such initiatives work as reminder for the motorists to take informed steps by wearing helmets and thereby saving lives.”
Sharing his experience, Safin Hasan, said, “While on my way to the UPSC exam centre, I met with a terrible accident. I got up and went to the exam hall to appear for the exam anyway. My injuries in the head and body were so severe that I have to be admitted to the hospital right after my exam. I was not wearing helmet while riding the two-wheeler and for two years I could not ride the two-wheeler. After that I made it a habit to venture out with helmet. Don’t wear helmet for fear of avoiding fine. Our awareness drive is to ensure the safety of young family heads and their dependents.”
In the infamous SG Highway accident, which claimed the lives of nine lives, including that of two policemen and a homeguard, the teenage driver and his friends were wearing seatbelts and survived the car crash, he added.
According to Baldevsinh Vaghela, DCP Traffic Administration, 60% of fatal traffic accidents in the city involved pedestrians and two-wheelers. Out of which 50% of the victims are young family heads.
Nita Desai, DCP Traffic for Ahmedabad West said that wearing a helmet needs to become a habit for two-wheeler drivers, just as seat belts have become for four-wheelers. She narrated the story of a young lady involved in a traffic accident at Shivranjini Crossroads, who is now a helmet-evangelist: “The accident was so severe that her helmet split into two. But it saved her from sure death. 90% of the fatalities in two-wheeler accidents are caused by head injuries.”
M Anand, President, SBI Life Insurance, said, “At SBI Life, we envision a future where aspirations are pursued with a sense of responsibility. SBI Life’s public awareness drive in collaboration with Ahmedabad Traffic Police is one such initiative to encourage individuals to pursue their ambitions in a ‘responsible’ manner, by making ‘protection a priority’. Looking at the statistics of lives lost while riding without proper protection in the city, there is a strong need of bringing a behavioral change amongst the larger populace and protecting oneself along with their loved ones. This collaborative effort reflects SBI Life’s brand philosophy ‘Apne Liye, Apno Ke Liye’. Along with the traffic police, we aim to bring the attention of the larger public towards the most ignored child passenger and emphasize on the importance of wearing helmet and safeguarding lives, reinforcing our belief in protecting today for a brighter tomorrow – for ourselves and our precious children.”
The public awareness drive which took place at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium (Navrangpura) saw the participation of NN Chaudhary, Additional Commissioner of Police- Traffic, Ahmedabad City & Amit Kumar Saha, Regional Director- Ahmedabad Region, SBI Life and other esteemed dignitaries.
The Indian Red Cross Society’s Gujarat Branch conducted a demonstration for giving first aid to traffic accident victims. It was followed by a motorcycle rally of the Ahmedabad traffic police, carrying placards on road safety.
The representatives of the Ahmedabad Traffic Police engaged with the local residents who were not wearing helmets while riding and educated them about the importance of wearing head gears for their own safety and that of their loved ones. The officials along with SBI Life’s team also distributed free helmets to motorist and pillion riders, impressing upon ‘protection as an enabler’ for individuals to pursue their dreams, thus encouraging a behavioural change to make ‘protection’ a priority.
According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau, Gujarat witnessed approximately 82,000 accidents over the past five years, resulting in 36,000 fatalities. As per the Road Safety Council, around 2400 people on an average in the last five years lost their lives in accidents in Ahmedabad due to lack of safety gears. A notable 73% of the demographic falls within the 18-45 age bracket, a range that encompasses the family’s primary earners.
