European Youth Declaration for Road Safety gains momentum

The European Youth Declaration for Road Safety adopted in late 2011 at the European Youth Forum for Road Safety has been passed on to national road safety decision makers around Europe. At the forum, youth leaders from across Europe gathered to share best practices in youth and road safety issues around Europe and adopted the European Youth Declaration for Road Safety.

The European Youth Forum for Road Safety is an annual event organized by The European Commission and Responsible Young Drivers Belgium. YOURS has been involved with the event since 2010 and continues to have involvement into 2011 and beyond.

The day began with clear policy orientations of the European Union presented by Isabelle Kardacz, director of the road safety department at the European Commission. Her presentation described strategy and actions for the coming decade 2011-2020. Mrs Kardacz expressed, “This youth forum is an important element for reducing the amount of young people being killed on Europe´s roads, you need to go away from this foum as you did last year and implement action´.

One of the most momentous actions that took place cames in the form of the European Youth Declaration for Road Safety. YOURS helped draft the declaration which calls for sustainable road safety action across Europe for the years ahead. The declaration will empower the European youth delegates to initiate action in their nations under the mandate of European Youth Ambassador for Road Safety. This is not just another declaration, among other things, its content focusses on: 

•   The road safety problem in Europe facing young people.
•   The commitment of the European youth delegates to implement action for road safety.
•   The importance of the contiunation of the forum in Europe.
•   To encourage the development and implementation of policy and initiatives to make European roads safer.

The Declaration has started to gain momentum around Europe as delegates have handed over the document to key road safety decision makers in their respective nations. Some of the endorsements are featured below:

We are engaging accountability for the dissemination of this very declaration. So far, we have forwarded the declaration to the Department for Transport in Saxony Anhalt. The relevant consultant received it very interestedly and assured us, to help in its further national distribution. After we presented our “Peer-Project in driving schools” in a trainee center, that offers postgraduate professional education for driver instructor, we got the chance to hand out the declaration to each attending driver instructor.
 

Maikki said ‘She was impressed by our work and emphasized the importance of peer-to-peer work. Her message to you: black belt is difficult to achieve in sports but on European roads it’s easy to put on and save lives!’

More information about the EYFRS Youth Decalaration will follow shortyl!