With the midyear school holidays around the corner, the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) warns motorists to buckle up to keep your spine safe.
From June 27, 25 quadriplegics and paraplegics wearing branded bibs will be stationed at five garages on national roads to encourage motorists to wear their seat belts and to sign a pledge to buckle up for which they will receive a licence disc sticker.
According to the CEO of QASA, Ari Seirlis, more than 900 people suffer spinal cord injuries in South Africa every year and half of these from road accidents.
If you are wearing your seat belt, the chance of getting a spinal cord injury are drastically reduced.
“Distracted driving is also on our agenda where we encourage road users not to use their mobile phones whilst driving, whether that is talking or texting,” he said.
He said that charities are often seen with their hands out for handouts, but in this project, they extend a hand out to the public giving something back in the form of an awareness campaign, that will save millions in rehabilitation costs and reduce the number of persons becoming disabled.
“We are proud to deliver a road safety programme to the public and not only will we reduce the number of persons sustaining spinal injuries in accidents, but we employ our own members in implementing the project,” he said.
The campaign was awarded the S.A. Guild of Motoring Journalists “Road Safety Project of the Year” award and this year the campaign is supported by the Road Accident Fund and the Round Table’s Cannonball Run event.
QASA is a member of the Global Road Safety Partnership thereby demonstrating their commitment to road safety in South Africa.
So buckle up and stay away from your phone to ensure a safe journey and relaxing holiday.
Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news.
Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here, or if you’re on desktop, scan the QR code below.
