On the New Year eve Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) has initiated a social project “Wrinkled but alive” within the “For safe roads” Campaign, which encourages drivers and passengers to use a safety belt. The following singers participated in the project: Olya Polyakova, Nadya Dorofeyeva, Dasha Astafiyeva, TAYANNA and Michelle Andrade as well as TV presenter Volodymir Dantes, Olexander Pedan and Timur Miroshnichenko.
During photo shoot session Ukrainian stars has posed in wrinkled dresses and shirts demonstrating that even at pre-holiday fever it would be better to buckle in a car and mess a clothes than gamble with life. That particular reason is included into TOP 10 reasons of why drivers and passengers don`t want to use safety belt.
Disregarding of safety belts is a severe problem for Ukraine. It is confirmed by all-Ukrainian research which has been conducted in October 2018 by NGO «Vision Zero» and CEDEM. According to results average factor of safety belts usage among drivers in the cities of Ukraine is 23%.
During second reading in December Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has discussed a draft law initiated by CEDEM targeted at decreasing of rate of mortality and injuries on the roads by means of citizens behavior change and forming a habit to buckle up in a car. This draft law offered to increase a fine for violation of safety belts using rules from 51 Hryvnas to 850 Hryvnas. However, legislative leadership has been supported by only 185 members of parliament in response to required minimum of 226 votes.
“High fines for safety belt disregarding are one of the worldwide ways to affect on driers` conscience. Such fines are quite high in European countries: 200 Euros in Denmark, 140 Euros in Netherlands, 200 Euros in Spain” says Taras Shavchenko, Director of Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM). – According to data of World Health Organization the experience of countries which has approved a laws about high fines for safety belts disregarding demonstrates very positive dynamics. For example, safety belts usage level in Netherlands before the law approval was 15%, and it became 86% after approval; same factor in Denmark was 5% before approval and 94% after it, in Spain 25% before approval of law and 86% after. Although of course all should be as a single set and coincidentally – fines increasing and information campaign par of which the “Wrinkled but alive” project is. It is based on insight. After all, wrinkles on clothes are seemed to be a problem just before a moment when you wage your wrinkled shirt and your life».
Participants of the “Wrinkled but alive” project has told personal stories about how safety belt saved a life for them or their relatives and about their stance on fines increase.
* Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM) is a think-and-act tank, which has been working in the civil society sector of Ukraine since 2005 channelling its efforts for development of independent media, support of civic platforms and movements, and building a legal state in Ukraine.