Road traffic injuries (RTI) are the main cause of death for young people aged 10-24 years and according to the World Health Organization (WHO) it is predicted to become the main cause of disability and premature death of children aged 5-14 years in low and middle income countries – causing far more deaths than malaria, TB, or AIDS. [1] Tajikistan knows this problem too well. During 2004 – 2013, 4544 people died as a result of road traffic collisions and a further 17,709 people were injured. Given that more than 70% of the country’s eight million inhabitants are under 30 years of age, the burden of road traffic collisions is particularly impacting young people. According to official figures, every fourth person injured in road traffic collision is either a child or a teenager.[2]
YGT’s Young Inspectors
To tackle this devastating problem and to support the work of the government in developing road safety, Tajik NGO Young Generation Tajikistan with support from EASST, has delivered a project to reduce the number of road deaths involving children and teenagers in the Firdavsi district of Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe.
Making drivers aware of their responsibilties on the road
The EASST sponsored project has developed the school movement of Young Inspectors of the Road (YIR) in 5 pilot schools (No. 18, 28, 42, 51 and 77) who actively promote and observe road safety practices and traffic regulations among their contemporaries. Within the project the following materials were developed:
• Guidelines for preparation of young road inspectors
• Training manuals for young road inspectors
• DVD of materials on promotion of traffic regulations
• Materials to promote road traffic rules (flyers, brochures, posters and banners)
Five schools took part in the road safety project
A series of events were held for children and adolescents up to 16 years of age on road traffic rules and pedestrian safety, such as:
• A drawing contest “Safe City Through the Eyes of Children 2014” in collaboration with State Auto Inspection and other partners which was attended by more than 3,000 children and teenagers
• A 2 day training course on the preparation of 28 young road inspectors from 5 pilot schools
• Quizzes and games to promote road traffic rules by the road inspectors from secondary school number 42 during the educational fairs held in the botanical garden “Iram”
• Information sessions about traffic rules and pedestrian safety conducted by young road inspectors among 627 students of the five pilot schools.
Early data from the State Auto Inspection Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs shows that during January to March 2015, the number of incidents decreased by 17 among young people up to the age of 16 in the Firdavsi district in comparison with the same period in 2014. In addition YGT has successfully increased awareness of the rules of the road by 14.24% from the baseline among children and teenagers in the area.
[1] European facts and report on the status of road safety in the world. (WHO Report, 2013)
[2] Analytical review of accidents on the roads of the Republic of Tajikistan (Ministry of Internal Affairs, SAIA, 2014.).
For more information please contact
NGO “YGT” 734003, Rudaki str. 112, room 7, Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan
(+992) 378 807 572, 378 817 572, 446 205 921
info (@) ygt.tj|
www.ygt.tj
