20 November – the Universal Children's Day
Today the Universal Children's Day is celebrated in the world. It was established in 1954 by the recommendation of the UN General Assembly. This date - 20 November - was chosen because on that day in 1959 UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and in 1989 - the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Annually eleven million children die not having lived to see their fifth birthday. Dozens of millions remain physically or mentally disabled not having a possibility for adulthood, active life and progress. Many of them were killed or injured in road traffic accidents which heavily inflict families, communities, countries and the whole world.
Children who get in road accidents can be divided into three groups: passengers, pedestrians and cyclists. The least protected group is passengers because their lives depend completely upon the responsibility of the adults.
To promote child safety and reduce the number of road victims among children the Road Traffic Safety Department at the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation in partnership with the Russian Association of Motor Insurers (RAMI) and the “Road Safety Russia” NGO have launched the “Child Seat to Children” social campaign. Its primary objective is to convince adults that transporting children under 12 without any child restraints is inadmissible.
The event organizers visit ten regions (Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, Bryansk, Orel, Ulyanovsk, Moscow Regions, Chuvash Republic, Republic of Mordovia, Republic of Tatarstan and Moscow city) to conduct topical press-conferences and stage the «Once in the Chairland» interactive performance in kindergartens and shopping centers explaining to spectators by means of metaphor that the best New Year gift is safety.
The “Pedestrian, to crosswalk!” campaign is waged by these stakeholders to enhance the safety of pedestrians including children. During the event traffic police officers give lessons on road safety and children receive reflecting trinkets and badges to ensure that they are more visible on roads at night-time. Special family actions are held in St.-Petersburg,Kostroma,Yaroslavl, Nizhni Novgorod, Penza ,Sochi, Stavropol, Belgorod, Kursk and Moscow.
«Often adults forget that they bear responsibility not only for themselves but for their kids as well, - pointed out Natalia Agre, President of the “Road Safety Russia” NGO. – Frequently the drivers don’t care or realize that their own life, lives of passengers and other drivers are in their hands. Unfortunately there is an army of careless drivers in our country. And it doesn’t matter whether they are skilled drivers or not because even hard braking can cause a fatal injury to a child. That’s why child restraints are vital for every child-passenger. This is the way to prevent an intolerably high road death toll among young road users».
«During the action I’ve talked to many children asking whether the performance was interesting and useful – said Irina Karachevskaja, children’s ombudsman in the Penza Region. – Many parents with children took part in the actions. I always tell parents that we should give a good example to our kids. If you cross the road in a wrong place tomorrow your child will do the same, if you offend road traffic rules the kid will realize that he can do the same. It’s the parents’ task to educate children in traffic rules – to cross the street on green light and in proper places. It is excellent that many adults participated in the action. I hope onwards they will be more careful and will more often remind these simple rules to their children».
«I have four children and always transport them in a child car seat, - shares his personal experience Denis Menshov, professional Russian cycle racer. – Looking at the statistics I realize that such actions as the “Child Seat to Children” are of great importance in fostering society, parents and children. There is a tangible progress and it’s very encouraging. But as it was correctly noted a child car seat is like a vaccination: it is not always pleasant but it is explicitly necessary, no two ways about it. It’s beneficial for life, for the future, for everything».
«My daughter is six and she was very pleased when we bought a child car seat– it became her personal place in the car, - told Larisa Kurkina, Olympic prize-winner. – If someone tries to sit down in the car from the side of her seat she’ll cry: “No, it’s my place!” Now sometimes a little problem arises when she doesn’t want to sit in it but I insist because, first of all, she is fastened and I don’t worry about her and, secondly, she doesn’t disturb me».
For 10 months of this year 7621 road accidents involving child-passengers has occurred inRussia, 444 children were killed and 8422 were injured.
But hither to the number of parents who don’t have any type of child restraints or who don’t plan to buy a child seat amounts to 32 % countrywide. This trend clearly shows that there is a potential risk group of parents who are not fully aware of the possible consequences.
The use of special restraints for transporting children under 12 has been mandatory since2007 inaccordance with the Road Traffic Regulations. Unfortunately many parents ignore the requirements of law because the penalty for non-use of child restraints pursuant to the Code of Administrative Offences of theRussian Federationis only a fixed fine of 500 roubles.
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