UN

Activities held by Road Safety Institute (RSI) “Panos Mylonas” for the 6^th UN Global Road Safety Week (17-23 May) “Streets for Life, #Love30”, campaigning for 30 km/h speed limits in residential areas, were successfully concluded. The RSI “Panos Mylonas” was involved since the very start when the idea of #Love30 was conceived and contributed in the strategic planning of this global campaign, along with other international Organisations, as Member of the UN Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC) which coordinates the UNGRSW worldwide. Activities in Greece and Cyprus were held both digitally, through the Institute’s social media, and physically, at open events and meetings in selected Municipalities throughout Greece, with the participation of municipal authorities, multiple stakeholders, organisations and institutions, cycling clubs, pedestrians, disabled, parents and teachers’ associations, as well as the Civil Society. The campaign in Greece was held under the Auspices of the Permanent Special Committee on Road Safety of the Greek Parliament and with the support of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), Member of which is the R.S.I “Panos Mylonas”.
 
The Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Mr. Kostas Karamanlis, on behalf of the Greek Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, greeted  the campaign events and stated:
 
“On behalf of the Government and the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis personally, I sincerely want to congratulate the Road Safety Institute “Panos Mylonas” for its systematic efforts and valuable work it offers to our society. I believe that your commitment to the goal of reducing road crashes on our streets not only is essentially helping towards this achievement, but is also a prime example for all of us to follow, for what it means to be an active citizen and to take action for society”.
The Minister ensured that the maximum speed limit in residential areas will be reduced to 30 km/h, and that, through this measure alone, we automatically reduce the risk of pedestrian fatal injury in case of accident from 80% to 10%.(Full text in Greek)

The President of RSI Vasiliki Danelli-Mylona stated:
“One is the important thing we should keep from this campaign: speed kills! Each measure reducing speed limits in areas where children, pedestrians, cyclists, the disabled, the elderly, and other vulnerable road network users mix with vehicles significantly reduces collision, as well as fatal injury risk. A child hit by a car moving at 80 km/h will not survive. But if the same car moves at 30 km/h, the child will survive. For this reason, we support the reduction of maximum speed limit from 50 km/h to 30 km/h in residential areas, which should be accompanied with interventions in infrastructure, as well as continuous training for citizens of all ages in safe rod use behavior. These have been demands that the Institute works tirelessly for 16 years to be implemented. We call all citizens to support once more our work and endorse the Open Letter for safety and good health of all, but mostly for our children and youth. To transform our roads into streets for Health, the Climate and People. To create STREETS FOR LIFE!”
 
Activities held during the 6^th Global Road Safety Week were the following:
1.       Presentation of 4 informational videos titled “Myths and Facts about 30 km/h” produced in collaboration with Cyprus Automobile Association (CAA) to tackle misconceptions concerning 30 km/h speed limits in residential areas. The videos were vastly promoted by both RSI and CAA and reached 80.000 views in only one week. The videos gained publicity beyond the two countries, as they were translated and broadcasted from the European Automobile Federation (EFA) in English and from the Italian Automobile Federation (UNASCA) in Italian, reaching the audiences of the neighboring country as well as  other European states.
Watch the videos on the following links:
Video 1 https://youtu.be/FomAB8-9FOU
Video 2 https://youtu.be/vF8pCfW2KEs
Video 3 https://youtu.be/9OuiJ8jZk_M
Video 4 https://youtu.be/LtdBcdK_nh0
English version:  https://youtu.be/-2nA9mKKMvs
Italian version: https://youtu.be/x8VbUyyf_gU
 
2. Online Petition. So far more than 800 signatures were collected from citizens and other significant persons and Organisations supporting the immediate implementation of 30 km/h speed limits in residential areas and around schools. The Open Letter was signed by, among others, the Vice-Governor of Western Greece Charalampos Bonanos, Municipalities of Eordaea, Larissa, and Lykovrisi – Pefki, the President of International Road Federation (IRF) Vasileios Chalkias, the CEO of “Aegean Motorway” S.A. Dimitris Gatsonis, the President of Regional Federation of Persons with Disabilities of Western Greece & the Southern Ionian Islands (pomameadytnin) Antonios Charokopos, European Affairs Officer at Hellenic Association of Insurance Companies (ΕΑΕΕ) Rebecca Toutouza, and other institutions and Organisations, as well as numerous Teachers, Academics, Transportation Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Driver Instructors and parents mourning their children in traffic accidents. So far, more than 700 signatures have been collected. The Open Letter will remain open for signatures until Sunday 30 May and will be delivered to the Permanent Special Committee on Road Safety of the Greek Parliament. You can sign the Open Letter here.
 
3.       Open Event in Larissa, central Greece. The city was chosen by the Institute as a “model city” for the promotion of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, through promoting cycling and walking, by designing low speed streets and wide bike lanes and sidewalks, as well as by reducing speed limits in residential areas and the city center. In coordination with the municipal authorities, small groups of cyclists (Cycling Sports Club PINEIOS, Cycling Club of Larissa, and young cyclists of the Cycling Academy of Larissa), members of the Association of Driver Instructors of Larissa and the Association of Driver Instructors of Thessalia were met with the RSI President on Tuesday (18.05). Together, they took photos holding the campaign message boards at the town’s central square and on low speed streets where a bike parade followed. The attendance of wheelchair users was significant, as well as the presence of Larissa Traffic Police, Rescue Team volunteers, and members of the National Public Health Organization (EODYA).  On Wednesday 19.05, a Press Conference was held at the Larissa Traffic Park, where the President of the Municipal Council Mr. Dimitris Deligiannis read the speech of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Mr. Kostas Karamanlis to the Institute. After the press event a demonstration of traffic education programmes took place, for students of Larissa Primary Schools and Kindergartens.
The activities in the city of Larissa were held with great success and concluded with the announcement of an upcoming collaboration agreement for Road Safety actions between the Municipality and RSI "Panos Mylonas". The open events were carried out with limited participation and all the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
(Read more:
https://www.ioas.gr/teleutaia_nea/4684/Draseis_sti_Larisa_gia_tin_6i_Pagkosmia_Ebdomada_tou_OIE_gia_tin_Odiki_Asfaleia_.htm/)   
 
4. Informational intervention to the Board of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) on Tuesday (19.05) morning, in regards to the campaign requests. The President of KEDE and Mayor of Trikala Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou posed with the campaign message boards, stating his support.
 
5. Symbolic donation of “30 km/h”, “low speed” and “school zone” traffic signs to the Municipalities of Kallithea, Larissa, Lykovrisi – Pefki, and Dirfies – Messapies.  
 
6. Participation in the 1^st Online Conference for Road Safety #love30_volos on Saturday 29.05, with a presentation by President of RSI “Panos Mylonas” Vasiliki Danelli-Mylona on “Traffic Education of Students and Citizens”
 
The RSI “Panos Mylonas warmly thanks all those who participated in the activities and showed their support, demanding “Streets for Life”, and especially the Mayor of Lykovrisi – Pefki Mr. Anastasios Mavridis, for allowing the shooting of the informational videos to take place on a low speed street of the Municipality,  Paralympic Athlete Dimitra Korokida and Cycling Champion Athina Chatzistyli for their participation in the videos, KOSMORIDE ebikes for the electric bicycles used at the shootings, SIMA SA for offering the traffic saigns that were donated to selected municipalities, the Mayor of Larissa Mr. Apostolos Kalogiannis, Deputy Mayor Mr. George Soultis, Deputy Mayor Mr. Sotirios Voulgaris, the President of the Municipal Council Mr. Deligiannis and all Municipal Employees and trainers of Larissa Municipality for the successful series of activities in their model city.
Sign the Open Letter for the implementation of 30 km/h speed limits in residential areas and around schools at the following link: https://forms.gle/ZNS1CuqEi8sKo2Fq7
 
For any further information please contact:
Road Safety Institute (RSI) “Panos Mylonas”
In Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC, Member of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC - WHO), Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), International Road Federation (IRF).

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