Parents, watch out!
Students of the Half Moon Fort Primary School, St Lucy, will take the road safety fight a lot more seriously, having listened carefully to reasons for paying due care and attention on the road.
As a siren sounded yesterday to pay respects to those who lost their lives tragically this year and previously, students pledged to keep a watchful eye on motorists, especially their parents, who talk on cellphones when driving, put on make-up or even drive without seat belts.
It was a day when the National Committee For The Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Dependency (NCPADD), the Road Safety Association and the Federation Internationale de Automobile joined in launching the worldwide United Nations Decade Of Action For Road Safety campaign.
Representatives hammered home the point that it was time for action and time to reduce the number of deaths on the roads. It was noted that 3 500 people died every day worldwide in violent road accidents.
Barbadian statistics revealed that about 25 people died a year on the roads and 2 500 were injured.
President of NCPADD, Victor Roach, said between 1993 and 2008, more than 400 road fatalities were recorded. He pointed out that the goal of the 10-year campaign was to “stabilize and then reduce the forecast level of road fatalities by 2020”.
He again called for the breathalyzer test to be implemented and better pre-hospital treatment.
Inspector Leon Blades of the Royal Barbados Police Force said the force would support the efforts of Government as everyone sought to keep the roads safe.
