If you value the child’s life

19 November 2012

 

Every year the road fatalities and injuries among child-passengers steadily decline in the Kemerovo Region but the problem exists. We all understand that even one injured child is a tragedy for a family. I realize the urgency of this problem not by hearsay because I’ve been a child surgeon for 15 years and up to now I encounter road traffic accidents involving children almost every day.

Those awful things that we see on our roads in fact reflect the social condition of our society. Year after year lots of people lose their lives on Russian roads. It’s a real warfare. In this situation quite a lot depends on journalists, whether they are ready to step in and warn people about dangers. Surely our medical personnel commit heroic deeds saving human lives but they deal with the consequences. The society needs invigoration and readjustment.

Adherence to road traffic rules, mutual respect among road users should come to stay. And the situation won’t change unless law-abidance, flexibility and respect on roads become standard and favourable. This is the field of activity for road safety advocates and of course for driver-instructors.

Unfortunately the programs for novice drivers are far from being perfect. That’s why there are numerous traffic offences, dangerous road situations, non-usage of child car seats etc. And what surprises more is the total indifference of other drivers to such offences. Nobody will beep to the offender or express his resentment in other way, everybody choose rather to keep aloof. These are systematic violations which clearly show the condition our society is in. Therefore explanatory, educative and instructional work should be done as well as various social events to attract people’s attention and raise their awareness.

Since 2009 the number of children aged 0-17 who sustained injuries in road traffic accidents has been decreasing: 640 children were injured in 2009 and 543 - in 2011. Taking into account the rapid growth of vehicle fleet in the Kemerovo Region (up to 30-35 thousand vehicles a year) these results are gained mostly due to the preventive work of the Road Traffic Safety Department. The medical personnel, as I’ve mentioned above, deal with the consequences of road crashes.

A child car seat is designed to provide safety. Firstly, its firm structure protects a child; secondly, its inner soft texture absorbs the impact. Moreover, the seat is fixed inside the passenger compartment and keeps the child fastened lowering the risk of injuries. There is no point of being an expert to realize that the child car seat ensures safety and it’s a must to use it if you value the life of your child.

by Valery Tsoi,

head of public health department, Kemerovo Region

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