Injury prevention and child safety in traffic national campaign continues in 2023

Trauma prevention and children's safety in traffic is the generic title of the national campaign, launched this year at Gheorghe Asachi Theoretical High School in Chisinau. The event was attended by students from first grades, but also from older grades and the teaching staff of the institution. The action was organized by the Preventive Medicine Department (DMP) of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy in partnership with the National Public Security Inspectorate within the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) and the World Health Organization and aims at informing on compliance with traffic rules for the prevention of traffic injuries among children and increasing the degree of safety in traffic.

According to Associate Professor Angela Cazacu-Stratu from the Hygiene Discipline, DMP, the information campaign is in its second edition, but it is already showing results. According to the Traffic Police data, the number of accidents and the number of children involved in them is decreasing, which indicates that information is a force with a positive impact on society, especially on minors.

During the launch event, the organizers carried out several interactive activities - blitz questions, riddles, games - to which the students answered, thus displaying their knowledge of road traffic general rules, but also recognizing some of the violations they commit. Towards the end, the students received informative materials and reflective accessories for their backpack or thick coat, to be visible in traffic, especially at night and during the cold season of the year.

The representatives of the National Public Security Inspectorate presented a MAI vehicle, allowing students to use the siren and the beacon and urging them to trust the policemen, who are children’s friends. 

According to the data of the General Police Inspectorate, during six months of the current year, 881 road accidents were registered in the Republic of Moldova resulting in the death of 79 people, while 1049 persons were traumatized. For comparison, in 2021 as many as 94 people died and 1203 were traumatized, and in 2022 – 86 people lost their lives and 1115 were traumatized). 203 minors were involved in road accidents, of which 6 died, 47 suffered serious injuries, and 143 - minor injuries. Also, 50 minors were considered guilty of causing road accidents. Regarding the causes of road accidents, it is shown that exceeding the speed limit remains the main cause of death of 19 people and traumatization of 100 other persons. At the same time, 152 accidents occurred due to drunk drivers (a decrease of 1.94% compared to the same period of the previous year).

The information campaign will take place between November 20-26, during which Nicolae Testemitanu University students from the Public Health study program and specialists from the Police Patrol Directorate of the National Public Security Inspectorate will disseminate information and promotional materials on this topic.

The action is part of the Global Road Safety Plan and the Decade of Actions for Road Safety for the years 2021-2030, adopted by the United Nations Organization, under which the Republic of Moldova committed to reduce the rate of deaths caused by road accidents and injuries by 50 percent until 2030. At the same time, annually, on the third Sunday of November, the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is marked, and in this way road safety and the responsibility of all traffic participants are intensively promoted.

 The initiative is supported by the international project "iCREATE: Enhancing Research Capacity in Eastern Europe", funded by the US National Institutes of Health, which aims to increase the research capacity and prevention of trauma and violence in three developing countries: Armenia, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova.