Turkey hosts press conference on road safety
WHO
On 15 July 2015, Ankara Intercity Bus Terminal hosted a press conference launching a road safety campaign before Eid al-Fitr festivities in Turkey. The timing of the conference was critical considering the massive traffic during the Eid al-Fitr holidays.
Mr Mustafa Tekeli, Deputy Head of the International Coach Federation of Turkey; Professor Dr Hilal Özcebe, Head of Hacettepe University, Institute of Public Health; Mr Fevzi Apaydın, Head of the Federation of Drivers and Vehicle Owners of Turkey; Dr Pavel Ursu, WHO Representative to Turkey; and Mr Yusuf Avan, Head of Traffic Training and Research Department, General Directorate of Security, Ministry of Interior, spoke at the press conference.
The conference started with a short informative movie underlining the importance of seatbelt use and speed management. All speakers highlighted the importance of interventions, such as helmet use, alcohol control and use of child restraints, defined by the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011–2020. Mr Yusuf Avan thanked WHO for its support in achieving the goals of the Decade. He added that seatbelt use is vital regardless of the type of vehicle, and stated that intensive traffic controls will take place during Eid al-Fitr to ensure passengers of cars and intercity buses use seatbelts.
Dr Ursu emphasized the preventable nature of road safety deaths and injuries stating, "To effectively prevent road traffic crashes and their related deaths and injuries, it is necessary to adopt and implement a comprehensive safe system approach including better training of drivers, effective enforcement and control mechanisms, supportive infrastructure, and prompt emergency and trauma care services. Ensuring road safety is a shared responsibility of all public organizations and institutions, as well as nongovernmental organizations, academia, the private sector and media."
The conference was followed by a crash simulator showing the importance of seatbelt use in road traffic crashes.
