Experiences and approaches of a non Experiences and approaches of a non governmental organizationgovernmental organization

planning an awareness program for a planning an awareness program for a developing country developing country

Dr. Alberto José SilveiraLuchemos por la Vida Asociación Civil

Luchemos por la VidaLuchemos por la Vida

A non-profit organization that works to prevent traffic accidents in

Argentina.

Created in 1990.

Population: 39.000.000 inhabitants

22 people are killed each day in traffic collisions

130,000 are injured each year

1,066 deaths for each 1.000.000 circulating vehicles

Material losses: U$S 10 billion a year

ArgentinaArgentina

Luchemos por la Vida, is the first non profit organisation as a means to achieve a new reality in traffic safety in Argentina.

We haven´t received any kind of financial support from government agencies or persons except for a few sponsors.

Most of the working has been done with the cooperation of volunteers.

We decided to develope a multiple-approach plan aimed at the individual “in the community” to generate a social change of attitude towards traffic accidents and behavior on the streets.

A multiple-approach planA multiple-approach plan

A multiple-approach planA multiple-approach plan

To do this, we decided to influence public opinion and to privilege work among: Mass media Government Traffic safety education

Mass mediaMass media

1. Mass awareness campaigns by means of advertising spots on radio and TV. To increase the perception of risk among road users and by providing information on safe behaviors.

Since 1992, this is the only campaign that has been on the air for more than thirteen years.

Mass mediaMass media

The broadcasting frequency: Our public campaign was ranked in the 11th.

position among the 100 companies with the highest publicity investment during 1994 (“Mercado” magazine, January 1995). With an estimated cost of U$S 20.287.000., only 2 points below Pepsi-Cola Company .

Mass mediaMass media

The broadcasting frequency: We didn't pay any of that money. We got a

free airing time regulated by law, for non profit and community welfare the first years. Last years, we are receiving the voluntary donation of time from radio and TV companies.

Mass mediaMass media

2. Work with the press: -A permanent communication channel with

the graphic press, radio and TV, pressing for: Divulging topics on traffic safety and accident

prevention in news and special programs. (news clips, interviews, etc.)

Presenting information highlighting the causes of accidents that have been published.

Mass mediaMass media

3. Follow up of advertising and TV: Control and request of changes in

commercial publicity or presentations contrary to traffic safety.

Proposals to introduce comments or safe behaviors in fiction characters to establish positive associations between safe behaviors and personal benefits.

Mass mediaMass media

4. Public recognition of positive actions of people: Annual Luchemos por la Vida Awards

5. Luchemos por la Vida Magazine: Sent free to all the town councils in the country

and to the main mass media.

Mass mediaMass media6. Information on the Internet: A website to divulge information and news. With

some sections for community participation: “Reports of dangerous situations in traffic”. “What happened to you is important”, to share

experiences of traffic accidents, “Reports of safety defects in cars”, “Reports about public authorities breaking the law”, A “ Forum”.

GovernmentGovernment

Presentation of proposals of laws and actions in the field of: Enforcement Organizing traffic Town planning Traffic safety education

Law proposals.

GovernmentGovernment

Because of the lack of official information, we gathered data about traffic accident fatalities and made the first national statistics.

Systematic traffic safety Systematic traffic safety educationeducation

For schools: “Schools for Life” Workshops for students Training courses for teachers.

For safe drivers Courses for new drivers and people who renew

their driving license (Traffic Administration of Buenos Aires City, since 1997)

Video Video ““Keys to safe drivingKeys to safe driving””

For safe drivers We produced the educational video “Keys to

safe driving”. This material, available in Spanish and English (dubbed), is provided free of charge to all driving license granting centers from any country that requests it.

Final conclusionFinal conclusion

It is required in developing countries to build up, as the World Health Organization says, “a new traffic safety vision with a more interdisciplinary and integrative approach, thorough intersectorial collaboration, targeted policies and national action plans”. And non governmental organizations, as Luchemos por la Vida, can play important rolls on that.

We do not give up in spite of many difficulties, and keep dreaming of the day in which God willing, no one will die in a traffic accident in Argentina, or in the world.

Our websiteOur website::

www.luchemos.org.arwww.luchemos.org.ar