Address of Acting Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov on the occasion of Third UN Global Road Safety Week

“As global experience shows, road accidents can be prevented. Some countries have demonstrated that by effecting on key risk factors – drink driving, speed infringement, use of helmets and seatbelts, a lot of lives and financial resources have been saved. Road safety depends on us. Road safety is the result of focused efforts of governmental and non- governmental organizations, public associations and many other people.

Crimes that cause children’s deaths spark a massive public outcry. People talk a lot and remember criminals and juvenile victims. And not just talk, but take the most decisive preventive measures. At the same time, people get to know about children who die because of road accidents from newspapers or TV spots. The driver who caused the accident is considered irresponsible.

If we speak about severity of road accidents, we understand that people, who drive with children in their cars and go for a dangerous overtaking, do not give way to pedestrians, carry kids without child safety seats, and do not fasten seatbelts, create a threat to children’s health and life.

Third UN Global Road Safety Week is held all around the world on May 4-10. Its main topic is children’s safety on roads, and the motto is “Save kids lives”.

Child declaration is the min document developed with the participation of kids from all over the world. They voiced their thoughts and fears about travelling on the roads. They said what they need to be kept safe on the roads.

The road safety week aims to draw attention of the public to better protection of children on roads and call leaders of the governments to prioritize kids safety on roads.

Being an important global event, Third UN Global Road Safety Week will give impetus to Decade of Action for Road Safety 2010-2020.

Acting President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov.”