National Road Safety Month activities in full swing

In the context of the National Road Safety Month, being held from 21 May to 21 June 2016, with a view to raise awareness of the population on the importance of road safety as it affects each and every one, a series of activities were organised on Wednesday. The Voice of Disabled People International is organising a march from Champ de Mars to the Municipal Council of Port Louis aiming at informing people that road accidents not only cause deaths but also disabilities. It is noted that the number of casualties (fatalities and persons injured as a result of road traffic accidents) increased by 6% from 3,592 in 2014 to 3,809 in 2015. Among the casualties, 139 were fatal, 495 seriously injured and the remaining 3,175 slightly injured. The Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions and the Brahma Kumaris, on the other hand, are holding a half-day workshop on “Road safety through self-transformation” to be followed by an exhibition at the St Pierre Social Welfare Centre. For its part, the Mauritius Police Force is making a presentation on road safety to Lafarge Managers at Crystal Beach Hotel. The Police is also using its roll-over simulator there to stress the necessity of using seatbelts to avoid serious injury in a car by making participants experience how their seat belt holds them in even when the car is overturning, rolling over and upside down.