Ford Motor Company Fund and the Automobile Association (AA) have joined forces for the second year in a row to reduce the death toll amongst pedestrians, who are amongst the most vulnerable road users in South Africa.
Focused around the hashtag #ISeeYou, the far-reaching national campaign aims to educate pedestrians and drivers regarding the importance of seeing and being seen on the road in low light and at night.
The 2018 project officially kicked off today at Lompec Education Centre in Mamelodi, near the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) head office in Silverton, Pretoria. The launch was hosted by Neale Hill, FMCSA managing director, along with Collins Khumalo, MD of the AA.
“South Africa has one of the highest national road death statistics in the world with approximately 14 000 people dying on our roads each year,” says Hill. “Based on statistics provided by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), almost 40-percent of these deaths are pedestrians, who are most at risk during dusk and dawn when traffic and commuter volumes are highest. It is crucial that, as significant role-players in the automotive industry, we help address this tragedy by education and supplying pedestrians with reflective gear that could save their lives,” Hill states.
The #ISeeYou Pedestrian Campaign has set out to educate 25 000 commuters this year on the crucial role that visibility plays in their safety through face-to-face communication supplemented by informative hand-outs. This will be backed up by social media and press campaigns to reach the general population.
Additionally, #ISeeYou will be distributing 15 000 commuters with high visibility reflective sashes to make them easier to see on the roads, thereby making a noteworthy contribution to pedestrian safety.
“We are encouraged by the ongoing support of the Ford Motor Company Fund and the AA for the #ISeeYou initiative, which complements our ongoing flagship road safety campaign, Ford Driving Skills for Life, which has been rolled out to eight markets in Sub-Saharan Africa to equip motorists with practical skills that help improve driving safety,” added Hill.
Provided by Ford SA
