The "Safe Driving is Life" campaign in Moldova was launched by the Automobile Club of Moldova (ACM) and EASST in March 2013 to tackle the high rate of work-related road injuries. A two-day launch workshop was held in the Moldovan capital Chisinau and brought together stakeholders concerned with the number of work-related road incidents in the country, specifically those involving public transport fleets and drivers.
In November, with sponsorship from the EBRD and EASST, the working party established as a result of February's event came to the UK to see at first hand the measures taken by leading UK-based companies to reduce road risk in their businesses and for the community (details http://goo.gl/qxHyyX , http://goo.gl/47QpxB ).
The study tour to the UK helped the Moldovan delegation to build a deeper understanding of the practical application of Occupational Road Safety Policies.
The six members of the Moldovan delegation individuals were all in a strong position to promote good practice occupational road safety in Moldova: Dan Chirita, Chief of the Unique Center of Video Monitoring; Nicholas Seredneac, Director, AUTORAPID SRL, Chisinau Maxi Taxi company; Liuba Popa, Gas Natural Fenosa (natural gas retailer) Responsible for General Service and Transport; Lilian Copaci, Chief of the Transport Management Department, Chisinau Municipal Authority Transport Department; George Morgoci, Director, RTEC the Chisinau trolley bus company and Marcel Lupanciuc, Deputy Director Service Operations, Chisinau Bus Company, returned to Moldova with a detailed knowledge of UK occupational road safety policies and best practice with a view to implementing changes within their workplaces in Moldova. Each member of the group achieved good results in promoting and implementing road safety initiatives and their work in companies (strict control of the drivers: alcohol consumption, hours of rest and work, training, control of the number of accidents and road traffic violations, involving drivers of institution, etc.., placing road safety messages and articles, new technologies as video surveillance). We would like to mention that the most successful was Mrs. Liuba Popa at the Gas Natural Fenosa. As one of the follow-up actions, on 17 July 2014, the ACM managers, Virginia Mandalac and Tatiana Mihailova, in collaboration with Mrs. Liuba Popa organized a road safety training course for the company's drivers. The ACM team was assisted by Mihai Rusu from the Unique Centre of Video Monitoring, and Transportation Administrator at the Gas Natural Fenosa, Mr. Sergiu Enache, who told the drivers about the driving in extreme weather and other road conditions. It is worth to mention that in the result of the "Safe Driving is Life" project a strong partnership between group's representatives was built, and the carried out training with Mr. Dan Chirita's contribution is a prove of it.
The Participants found the training very useful and relevant for their work and suggested to do the same work in other companies. They were presented with reflective stickers and informative brochures tackling different road safety issues, as seatbelt use, drink driving, checking tires; pedestrians; first aid.
