North Corfu Municipality setting up road accident prevention network
North Corfu
16 Mar 2022
/ 13:21
CORFU. The activities will involve 621 school pupils in the municipality in collaboration with the ΄Panos Milonas΄ Road Safety Institute, the Regional Education Department, the police and the Fire Department.
North Corfu Municipality is setting up a 'network' for the prevention of road accidents,especially amongst drivers in the 15-30 age group, who account for 25% of road deaths in Europe and Greece. Activities to raise road safety awareness will be organised at junior high and high schools in the municipality.
The new project, which was announced by North Corfu Deputy Mayor Spyridoula Kokkali at a press conference today, will involve 621 school pupils in the municipality in collaboration with the ΄Panos Milonas΄ Road Safety Institute, the Regional Education Department, the Regional Police Department and the Regional Fire Department.
Ms. Kokkali said that the initiative from Mayor Giorgos Mahimaris and the local authority aims to raise awareness in the community starting with secondary schools.
Activities
Activities will begin next week.
From Monday 21 March to Friday 8 April police will distribute special road safety leaflets at junior high schools in Amphipagites, Karousades, Thinalia, Kassiopi and Agros, at Kassiopi high school classes and Agros High School.
The events will culminate from 9 to 13 May with a 5-day event organised by ΄Panos Milonas΄ Road Safety Institute in a specially-prepared area at secondary schools using four simulators (overturning, collision, speed-weight correlation scales, simulation glasses for drunkenness) and with talks given by the Police Chief, Fire Chief, North Corfu municipal representatives and an expert from the Institute.
"On behalf of Mayor Mahimaris and the local authority, we would like to thank all the organisations and the school principals for their immediate response to this project and to express our hope not to see any more road accident victims," said Ms. Kokkali. "If we can't eliminate them, then at least to reduce the numbers as much as we can." She added that, going forward, there will be more activities directed at the whole community.
The President of ΄Panos Milonas΄ Road Safety Institute Vassiliki Danelli-Milona said that the main victims of road accidents are young people. "Unfortunately, lives are lost on the road in the region, hitting families, the community and development. Drivers in the 15-30 age group, who account for 25% of road deaths in Europe and Greece," she said.
The following also took part in the press conference: Regional Education Director Petros Aggelopoulos, Corfu Fire Chief Nikos Kolovos and Corfu Police Press Officer Theofilos Meleggidis.
Priority
Regional Education Director Petros Aggelopoulos stressed that it is the responsibilty of all those involved in education to contribute to the provision of proper information and raising the awareness of pupils with regard to proper behaviour on the roads. "Children's safety and the prevention of accidents should be the main priority in education as children are the most vulnerable users of the road network and are exposed to more danger than adults," he said.
88 talks
According to Corfu Police Press Officer Theofilos Meleggidis, the policing of traffic is one of the basic priorities to ensure safety in towns and elsewhere and is included in the Hellenic Police strategic plan for 2021-2025.
He added that, despite the pandemic, 88 talks on road safety were given at Corfu schools over the last three years, addressing over 1,000 school pupils.
Corfu Fire Chief Nikos Kolovos stated that road safety is a matter of education and culture and should never be disregarded on a civilised island like Corfu.
΄Panos Milonas΄ Institute
The 'Panos Milonas' Hellenic Institute for Road Safety Research and Education and the Prevention and Reduction of road accidents (IOAS) was established on 12 May 2005.
The Institute was set up following the tragic death of 22-year-old Panos Milonas, a fourth-year student at the Department of Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering at Patras University, on his way to university classes.
His mother Vassiliki Danelli-Milona said that IOAS considers it important that there are activities and projects to save lives and create a culture of road safety. "It is extremely important that a transport system be designed for the future as it is young people who are most affected by road accidents and they are the generation who will inherit the results of decisions taken now," she said.
The new project, which was announced by North Corfu Deputy Mayor Spyridoula Kokkali at a press conference today, will involve 621 school pupils in the municipality in collaboration with the ΄Panos Milonas΄ Road Safety Institute, the Regional Education Department, the Regional Police Department and the Regional Fire Department.
Ms. Kokkali said that the initiative from Mayor Giorgos Mahimaris and the local authority aims to raise awareness in the community starting with secondary schools.
Activities
Activities will begin next week.
From Monday 21 March to Friday 8 April police will distribute special road safety leaflets at junior high schools in Amphipagites, Karousades, Thinalia, Kassiopi and Agros, at Kassiopi high school classes and Agros High School.
The events will culminate from 9 to 13 May with a 5-day event organised by ΄Panos Milonas΄ Road Safety Institute in a specially-prepared area at secondary schools using four simulators (overturning, collision, speed-weight correlation scales, simulation glasses for drunkenness) and with talks given by the Police Chief, Fire Chief, North Corfu municipal representatives and an expert from the Institute.
"On behalf of Mayor Mahimaris and the local authority, we would like to thank all the organisations and the school principals for their immediate response to this project and to express our hope not to see any more road accident victims," said Ms. Kokkali. "If we can't eliminate them, then at least to reduce the numbers as much as we can." She added that, going forward, there will be more activities directed at the whole community.
The President of ΄Panos Milonas΄ Road Safety Institute Vassiliki Danelli-Milona said that the main victims of road accidents are young people. "Unfortunately, lives are lost on the road in the region, hitting families, the community and development. Drivers in the 15-30 age group, who account for 25% of road deaths in Europe and Greece," she said.
The following also took part in the press conference: Regional Education Director Petros Aggelopoulos, Corfu Fire Chief Nikos Kolovos and Corfu Police Press Officer Theofilos Meleggidis.
Priority
Regional Education Director Petros Aggelopoulos stressed that it is the responsibilty of all those involved in education to contribute to the provision of proper information and raising the awareness of pupils with regard to proper behaviour on the roads. "Children's safety and the prevention of accidents should be the main priority in education as children are the most vulnerable users of the road network and are exposed to more danger than adults," he said.
88 talks
According to Corfu Police Press Officer Theofilos Meleggidis, the policing of traffic is one of the basic priorities to ensure safety in towns and elsewhere and is included in the Hellenic Police strategic plan for 2021-2025.
He added that, despite the pandemic, 88 talks on road safety were given at Corfu schools over the last three years, addressing over 1,000 school pupils.
Corfu Fire Chief Nikos Kolovos stated that road safety is a matter of education and culture and should never be disregarded on a civilised island like Corfu.
΄Panos Milonas΄ Institute
The 'Panos Milonas' Hellenic Institute for Road Safety Research and Education and the Prevention and Reduction of road accidents (IOAS) was established on 12 May 2005.
The Institute was set up following the tragic death of 22-year-old Panos Milonas, a fourth-year student at the Department of Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering at Patras University, on his way to university classes.
His mother Vassiliki Danelli-Milona said that IOAS considers it important that there are activities and projects to save lives and create a culture of road safety. "It is extremely important that a transport system be designed for the future as it is young people who are most affected by road accidents and they are the generation who will inherit the results of decisions taken now," she said.
