Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

The OSCE Office in Baku starts an awareness-raising campaign on road safety for schoolchildren and their teachers on November 25.

Some 2,500 children and 250 teachers will participate in events organized in co-operation with the Ministries of Interior and Education at 20 secondary schools of the capital Baku.

Experts will deliver presentations to primary school teachers on children's traffic safety issues, covering practical awareness-raising steps as well as relevant online resources.

Presentations will be made to schoolchildren on basic traffic rules, with a particular focus on advice for pedestrians and vehicle passengers. Traffic police officers will be present at the events to give advice and answer questions.

According to Omer Kilic, Acting Head of Politico-Military Unit at the OSCE Office in Baku, this campaign aims to contribute to Azerbaijan's efforts in raising awareness on road safety among the population and to encourage civil society organizations to take more active participation in this effort.

The presentations will be followed by a special event in the schoolyard to display a simulator chair, which will demonstrate advantages of wearing seat belts.

Ending the event, the OSCE Office will distribute booklets on road safety and other promotional items reflecting the project's messages in each school.

Road safety is one of the arising problems in Baku at present. According to Baku State Traffic Police Department, over 60 road accidents involving children were registered in Baku this year, which lead to 13 deaths and 31 injuries.

A 2.5-fold increase in the number of vehicles in the last 10-12 years and the non-observance of traffic rules have led to an increase in the number of accidents in Azerbaijan.

According to Interior Minister Ramil Usubov, some 40.6 percent of the road accidents that occurred in Azerbaijan over the last four years were related to excessive speed, 33.3 percent to the violation of the rules of overtaking, and 3.2 percent to driving whilst intoxicated.