This message was conveyed today by representatives of all relevant institutions present in the “safety zone” at the EXIT Festival, as an appeal to young people to be responsible and drive safely after enjoying the festival.
For the second year in a row, DDOR osiguranje, the Traffic Safety Agency, the Ministry of Internal Affairs – Traffic Police Administration, and the Traffic Safety Coordination Council of Novi Sad are participating together in the EXIT Festival to promote responsible behavior among young drivers.
During the EXIT Festival, visitors can experience vehicle rollover simulations to understand the importance of seatbelts and a special simulator demonstrating the effects of alcohol and psychoactive substances on driving perception and coordination in the DDOR safety zone under the slogan “Turning for the Good!” Participants can also take breathalyzer tests, participate in quizzes, and win prizes.
“I am very pleased that DDOR is once again the official insurance partner of the EXIT Festival where, with the support and cooperation of the Traffic Safety Agency and our partners, our mission is to raise awareness among as many visitors as possible about the importance of safe behavior on the road” said Aleksandar Bebić, Director of Sales at DDOR osiguranje.
Assistant Director of the Traffic Safety Agency, Mirko Koković, stated that, according to statistics, more than 200 people have already lost their lives on the roads of the Republic of Serbia this year, and we are entering a period of increased traffic, which brings more conflicts and casualties.
“Analyzing the age categories, we have seen a 30% increase in young traffic fatalities, ages 15 to 30, this year. Generally, it is particularly challenging to influence young people’s awareness regarding traffic risks. The Traffic Safety Agency, in collaboration with DDOR Insurance and the Ministry of Internal Affairs – Traffic Police Administration, is using the opportunity provided by the EXIT Festival to engage with young people and through preventive activities, encourage them to be safer participants in traffic. One major reason for the loss of over 100 lives each year is the non-use of seatbelts. We aim to highlight to young people, who are the majority at this festival, the critical impact of seatbelts on the outcomes of traffic accidents. Festival visitors will have the chance to try the vehicle rollover simulator in controlled conditions and see firsthand the importance of seatbelts during a rollover. Additionally, every ninth traffic fatality is due to driving under the influence of alcohol. Visitors can experience the impairment caused by alcohol and psychoactive substances using ‘drunk goggles’ and a driving simulator, which demonstrate the reduced driving ability, extended reaction times, decreased concentration, coordination, and decision-making accuracy,” emphasized Koković.
Deputy Chief of the Traffic Police Administration, Bojan Radovanović, stressed that the EXIT Festival is one of the most recognizable music festivals in Europe and represents a promotion of our country, but also a significant security challenge. “The imperative for the traffic police will be to ensure the highest possible level of traffic safety during the festival, and I can promise we will give our maximum effort. Since the festival’s attendees are primarily young people, we want to emphasize that alcohol and psychoactive substances do not mix with driving. At this stand, they will be able to see how these substances negatively affect all motor functions necessary for safe driving, such as vision, coordination, reaction speed, and the ability to make correct judgments. Of course, we take every opportunity to show young people the importance of always using seatbelts, both in the front and rear seats, which they can experience on the simulators here. I appeal to all festival-goers not to drive if they have consumed alcohol or psychoactive substances,” said Radovanović.
Member of the City Council for Traffic and Roads of Novi Sad, Aleksandar Bulajić, stated that the city of Novi Sad will always support all activities and campaigns conducted by the Traffic Safety Agency.
“Since its inception, EXIT Festival has been a magnet for young people, and here we have the opportunity to discuss safe traffic participation with them. It is important to inform young traffic participants about the causes of traffic accidents, prevention methods, and the consequences of traffic accidents. The Traffic Safety Coordination Council of the City of Novi Sad continuously works on preventing traffic accidents for all categories of participants through various projects and education. In the last five years, we have recorded a 40% reduction in the number of fatalities in the city, but young people still make up 25% of the total fatalities, indicating that we have much work to do to improve their safety in traffic,” said Bulajić.
The endeavor of DDOR, the Traffic Safety Agency, the Ministry of Internal Affairs – Traffic Police Administration and the Traffic Safety Coordination Council of Novi Sad will enable the EXIT Festival to position as a hub of both top entertainment and social responsibility.
