ACEA

Red Cross runs European testing programme for safety and first aid pack

The Red Cross has launched its 4th European Red Cross Road Safety Campaign in October 2007 to increase awareness on accident prevention and possibilities for first aid assistance. Co-sponsored by the European Commission, the campaign involves the active participation of 19 Red Cross National Societies: Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Malta and the United Kingdom.

The European automobile manufacturers fully support the Red Cross initiative. Road safety is a main priority for the auto industry, and concerted action by road authorities, the vehicle industry, drivers and aid services will make it possible to achieve further impressive results in reducing casualties.

The main outcome of the Red Cross campaign will be the production of a road safety and first aid resource pack. It will provide the Red Cross, other road safety agencies and multipliers throughout Europe with tested material for operating programmes that best tackle the road safety issues in their country. A draft version will be tested by all participating National Red Cross Societies between October 2007 and February 2008. The final version of the resource pack shall be issued in May 2008 and available for free on the campaign website http://www.1-life.info. It will be easily adapted to different national contexts in Europe. 

The 3 key themes of the resource pack are:
raising awareness (by involving the public, communication, media and PR)
influencing behaviour (through formal/non-formal education for children aged 7-11)
building community capacity - how to mobilise communities to take action to reduce road traffic accidents in their neighbourhoods.

Since 2001, European Union National Red Cross Societies have delivered three pan-European road safety campaigns. Through these campaigns, the Red Cross has reached millions of people, informing them on preventive road safety measures and teaching simple first aid techniques.

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