This Youth Day weekend, the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) calls on motorists – especially young drivers – to make a simple, life-saving choice: Buckle up.
Road crashes are the second leading cause of spinal cord injuries in South Africa. Wearing a seatbelt can help prevent serious injury in a crash.
“Young people and new drivers often underestimate the risks of not wearing a seatbelt,” QASA states. “The sad truth is that over 900 South Africans suffer spinal cord injuries every year – half of which are from motor vehicle crashes.”
“The personal and financial costs of such an injury are devastating. We don’t want new members. Buckling up could make all the difference,” the Association notes.
As part of its road safety awareness campaign, titled “Buckle Up – We Don’t Want New Members”, quadriplegics and paraplegics who have experienced the life-altering consequences of spinal cord injuries will be stationed at key service stations on South African national roads to meet with motorists.
These include the Engen Winelands 1 Stop North (heading towards Paarl) in the Western Cape and Engen Skystop Garage at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Gauteng.
These QASA members wearing branded campaign bibs will share their stories and encourage drivers and passengers to sign a safety pledge committing to always buckling up. Participants will receive a free branded licence disc sticker as a reminder of their commitment to road safety.
“If you are in the area and stop at the stations, we urge you to sign our pledge and buckle up. A crash can happen in a moment. And a small action can make a big difference in preventing serious injury,” QASA concludes.
Fifteen QASA members have been employed for this campaign, aligning with the Association’s ongoing mission of promoting the prevention of spinal cord injuries through public education and advocacy with a clear message: We want fewer injuries, not more members.
