Key to EASST’s mission is the facilitation of the exchange of information, experience and best practice between its network of partners in the South Caucasus and Eastern Europe. With this aim in mind, EASST sponsored a visit of Ms. Irina Potyakina of the Belarusian Auto Motor Touring Club (BKA) to EASST partner organization the Automobile Club of Moldova (ACM) in May 2012.
The visit provided an opportunity for Ms. Potyakina and representatives of the ACM to discuss the achievements of their organizations, the challenges they face, and share the results of projects in their countries aimed at reducing casualty figures and the risk of road crashes.
Tatiana Mihailova of the ACM (right) shares printed materials with Irina Potyakina of the BKA
Staff of the ACM, particularly Tatiana Mihailova, shared with Ms. Potyakina the experience of several of their successful campaigns, including the launch of the ACM’s recent ‘Seat Belt Saves Life’ campaign incorporating the use of the Seat Belt Slide. To demonstrate the importance of seat belt use, the ACM delivered a public demonstration of the Seat Belt Slide, donated by the FIA Foundation and EASST. The slide imitates a crash at a speed of 30 km/h and stresses the necessity of using a seat belt. After hearing of the ACM’s successful cooperation with the Traffic Road Police during the campaign, Ms. Potyakina expressed her renewed commitment to cooperate with the Traffic Road Police of Belarus.
Irina (left) and Tatiana (right) test the Seat Belt Slide donated by EASST
Also of great use to Ms. Potyakina and the BKA was hearing of the ACM’s road safety projects involving school children. She learnt about the ACM’s annual road safety school competition.
The colleagues from Belarus and Moldova also shared the experience of their clubs’ activities and discussed the possibility of further common actions which could improve the road safety situation in both countries. The ACM kindly gave to the BKA a large volume of printed materials and brochures for use during the BKA’s 1st June activities focused on the use of seat belts and child restraints.
The exchange visit between EASST’s partners in Belarus and Moldova provided an excellent opportunity to share best practice in road safety, learn from the experience of others, and create new partnerships to work towards the common goal of improving road safety and saving lives.
