The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today, addressed the expert meeting “Education, Prevention and Ethics in Traffic”, held under his auspices, organized by the National Council for Road Traffic Safety. Public campaign began with this event for implementation of the National Strategy for Zero Children Victims in Traffic Accidents.

Dear Participants of this Gathering,
Dear Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Traffic safety is an issue of utmost importance for everybody and a necessity that needs to be constantly promoted and improved. The reason for our presence here today is to determine the manner how to provide traffic security and safety for those exposed at greatest risk - children. In other words - how to protect them more efficiently from everyday threats in urban traffic congestion.

Every human life is precious. Every young life lost is a tragedy not only for the families but for the society at large. To avoid unwanted tragedies, we must exert all our efforts in teaching and educating children on proper safe behavior in traffic from an early age. Such education should start, primarily in the family and include parents, but does not stop there.

Today’s gathering, organized by the National Council for Road Traffic Safety, is an attempt to emphasize the importance of the individual - as a traffic participant, being driver of motor vehicles, pedestrian, motorcyclist, cyclist. Every active traffic participant bears responsibility for himself personally and also for the safety of others. Raising general public awareness of the responsibilities of each individual in traffic is a supreme task we are being faced with, that requires involvement of all relevant stakeholders – governmental institutions, expert and non-governmental organizations, private sector, parents, kindergartens, schools...

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Following the adoption of the 2009 – 2014 National Strategy of the Republic of Macedonia on promoting traffic safety, the first coordinated multi-agency approach on reducing number of traffic accidents and consequences began. This document is a solid basis for the activities to be taken by the state authorities and other institutions, but also a great challenge and a serious task. The main objective outlined in this strategy is halving the number of traffic casualties, and, most importantly, full elimination of the number of children victims in traffic accidents. Set goals are high, but the price we as a society are to pay is even higher, unless we engage all our strengths and capacities to attain that goal.

In 2010, 162 people, including 6 children, lost their lives in traffic accidents. Since the implementation of this strategy, the number of casualties in traffic shows a tendency of decline. This information should be an incentive for all of us to continue to work intensively to achieve the outlined goals - improved infrastructure and traffic signs, increased public awareness, improved education of children and youth, coordinated and focused action to reduce traffic accidents and loss of human lives.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Children are our greatest asset, our investment in future. However, our most important obligation today is to prepare the youth to behave correctly and safely in traffic as pedestrians, cyclists, during children’s games outside and near the streets.

The purpose of today’s meeting is to design and establish a system for children’s education – starting from kindergarten, and during primary and secondary education - to raise their awareness to a higher level regarding the consequences of irresponsible attitude and disrespect for the traffic rules, as well as the need for greater attention and caution. Macedonia should enable generations of children to grow who will be completely aware of the ethics in traffic, but also of the dangers. Their future behavior as drivers and traffic participants will depend on the strong habits that will be enabled to them at an early age.

Parallel with our efforts to educate young people on road safety, we, as drivers, have to fulfill our task. I urge all drivers to be careful and patient, because the youngest are in fact less aware of the potential hazards on the road. Responsible driving is the first prerequisite for reducing traffic accidents and lost human lives.
As we know, children are great imitators of adult behavior. Let’s give them something valuable to imitate.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The 2011 – 2020 traffic safety decade is ahead, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly. During this period, worldwide, nationally and globally, the efforts to reduce the growing trend of victims and injuries in traffic accidents will be intensified.

It is time for action also in the Republic of Macedonia! It is time to address these challenges seriously and with perseverance, to take all necessary steps to raise a broader public campaign to increase public awareness, to give our individual contribution both in educating children, and in our everyday behavior behind the wheel. I urge all stakeholders - parents, teachers, professors, policemen, journalists, institutions and associations, to join this initiative for zero children victims in traffic accidents.

It is time to strengthen the institutional framework by drafting a new strategy for traffic safety, for the period till 2020, as all EU member states, which will include even stronger measures and actions to achieve the outlined goals.

At the end, I would like to extend my gratitude and unreserved support for the efforts of the National Council for Road Traffic Safety, in achieving the goals. I hope that with today’s meeting we will be a step closer to establishing a functional system for education of children in the Republic of Macedonia on informed, responsible and safe operation in traffic.

Thank you.