BUCKLE UP – WE DON’T WANT NEW MEMBERS
GEAR UP – WE DON’T WANT NEW MEMBERS
The QuadPara Association of South Africa asks motorists to wear their seat belts in order to prevent a spinal cord injury in the event of an accident! They further expand their road safety campaign to include motorcyclists.
This Easter season, you will see quadriplegics & paraplegics deployed at 5 garages on nationals roads encouraging motorists to Buckle Up (wear their seat belt) in order to reduce the number of spinal cord injuries from road accidents on South African roads.
Furthermore they will be supporting a new slogan GEAR UP in order to encourage motor cyclists to use appropriate and safe riding gear in order to prevent serious injury in the event of an accident.
Motorists will be approached at the garages by quadriplegics & paraplegics and asked to sign a pledge to Buckle Up and in return they will receive a free license disk sticker.
Motor Cycle users will receive a Button Badge for their riding jacket if the sign the Gear Up pledge form.
Quadriplegics & Paraplegics involved with this road safety campaign will be branded with bibs which identify them as campaigners and will introduce themselves in order to encourage motorists to wear their seat belts on their journey.
26 members of the QuadPara Association have been employed for this project and the Association is proud to be part of road safety in their prevention programme. The Association is adamant that if you are wearing your seatbelt and in an accident, your chances of sustaining a spinal cord injury is drastically reduced.
More than 450 people become spinal cord injured in South Africa and half of these from road accidents, the impact on their lives and the lives of their families, devastating.
The BUCKLE UP – WE DON’T WANT NEW MEMBERS campaign was awarded the S.A.Guild of Motoring Journalists “Road Safety Project of the Year” award. This year, the campaign has been funded by the National Lottery Trust Fund.
This is the first Easter, the Associations members will deploy the “Gear Up – We don’t want new members” campaign which is in partnership with the Steelwings Motorcycle Club who have funded this campaign. This Road Safety initiative is a partnership between the Association and Arrive Alive and The National Lottery Trust has assisted in funding the campaign.
The national Director of the QuadPara Association, Ari Seirlis says
“We are proud to deliver a road safety programme to the public and not only will we reduce the number of persons sustaining spinal injuries in accidents, but we employ our own members in implementing the project. Some of the very victims of road accidents, will be at the garage sites, encouraging road safety to the public”
Too often, charities are seen with their hands out for funds, in this project, we extend a hand out to the South African public giving something back in the form of an awareness campaign that will save millions in rehabilitation costs and reducing the number of persons becoming disabled. We owe our road users this campaign. We are thrilled to now deliver a prevention of injury awareness campaign that includes the motor cycle fraternity.
QASA is also a proud member of the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) to add credibility to the campaign.
Our disability agency makes a big investment in “prevention” and this excersize is a demonstration of our commitment to reducing the number of spinal cord injuries in South Africa”
Issued by:
Ari Seirlis
National Director:
QuadPara Association of South Africa
Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog 