Children’s road safety campus opens in Moscow

11 November 2013

The Junior Campus road safety educational centre for children was officially opened on November 7. Set up by the BMW Group, the project is designed for young road users aged between five and ten-years-old. The Junior Campus is located at the Artplay design complex in Moscow and its classes are free of charge.

The Road Safety Russia NGO, represented by its president, Natalia Agre, showed its support for the project. The General Department of Road Traffic Safety of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation was also represented at the official opening, by Maxim Belugin, head of the department for road safety promotion and media relations.

“We would like to propose that the Junior Campus works not only with children, but also with their parents,” said Mr Belugin. “There is work to be done with parents as well, to explain to them how to use seat belts and child restraints.”  He added that the number of road traffic accidents involving young people riding mopeds and scooters is increasing. Therefore, the safe use of two-wheeled vehicles could also be touched upon as part of the campus’s educational programme.

Natalia Agre spoke of her hopes for the development of the campus concept in Russia. She also talked about the current situation with regard to child safety on Russian roads and referred to the scale of the work already carried out in this area: “Although in 2004 to 2012 the child death rate in Russia fell by more than 30%, the problem remains serious. The main decrease in child deaths was among child pedestrians. Although the death rate among child passengers is also falling, progress is slower than we would like. This is due to the rapid increase in the number of vehicles on the roads and the increased transportation of children in vehicles.”  

Ms Agre pointed out that in the last two years, together with the General Department of Road Traffic Safety, Road Safety Russia has run public awareness campaigns to educate parents about the need for child restraints and their use. Maternity hospital staff have also been provided with information about child restraints to pass on to parents.  The use of child car seats has improved but much work remains to be done. “On 1 September of this year the penalty for failing to use a child restraint increased sixfold, to 3000 roubles, so it is now a bit closer to the cost of a car seat,” said Ms Agre.

Head of BMW Group Russia, Wolfgang Schlimme, said that while one of the project’s main objectives is to improve road safety for young pedestrians, it would also look at the safety of young passengers“Today is not about making sales. Today we want to share with you our desire to contribute to road safety in Russia,” said Mr Schlimme. “It might sound like advertising or marketing, but it isn't. The Junior Campus programme is both fun and educational. We are very pleased that we can use this format to educate thousands of children about road safety rules.”

Road Safety Russia will monitor the development of the Junior Campus project in Russia and lend its support to this initiative to improve road safety education for children.

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