From the 21st to the 27th of June, the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), the National Republican Guard (GNR), and the Public Security Police (PSP) will launch its Road Safety Campaign “Cinto-me vivo,” as part of the 2022 National Inspection Plan, which aims to convince drivers and passengers of the need to buckle up when travelling.
As part of the programme, the GNR issued this statement:
“In a collision, a vehicle stops in a fraction of a second, but the occupants, if they are not wearing a seat belt, continue to move in the direction of movement with a speed equal to the speed that the vehicle was travelling before impact. In a head on collision at 50 km/h, a driver weighing 70 kg, without a seat belt, suffers an impact equivalent to a free fall from a third floor flat. With regards to scooter and motorbike riders, using an approved helmet, properly tightened and adjusted, reduces the risk of death in the event of an accident by 40%. Furthermore, it has also been proven that the correct use of a child seat in a car, which fits the child in both terms of size and weight can half death rates, while using a seat belt can reduce the risk of serious injury and/or death by up to as much as 90%.
The “Cinto-me Vivo” campaign will include:
– Awareness-raising actions by the ANSR in mainland Portugal and the services of the regional administrations of the Autonomous Regions of Madeira and the Azores;
– Inspection operations by the GNR and PSP, with a special focus on roads and accesses with high road traffic and in accordance with the National Inspection Plan 2022, in order to contribute to the reduction of the risk of accidents and to the adoption of safer road behaviours by drivers regarding the correct use of safety devices.
Concluding the ANSR, GNR and the PSP added that the use of safety devices while driving save lives and recommend the following:
“Always use an approved car seat, properly installed, and adapted to the height and weight of the child; Always wear a seat belt, no matter what part of the car you are travelling in, and on all routes, even short distances;
Road accidents don’t have to be fatal if people drive safely and always wear a seat belt.
As the old British 1970’s advert used to say – ‘Clunk, click, with every trip‘ (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents).
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
