National Drunk Driving Prevention Month (National Impaired Driving Prevention Month) is the month of December. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence of psychoactive substances, especially during the holiday season when traffic accidents are more common.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, December is celebrated as International Addiction Awareness Monthand campaigns often include prevention of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The goal is to warn the public about the dangers and consequences of consuming psychoactive substances.
The Association Healthy Team Ilidža in cooperation with the Health Council of the Municipality of Ilidža implemented a joint campaign “A sober choice – a safer road for everyone!” The holidays and the New Year are upon us, and the possibility of driving under the influence of opiates is much greater, the goal was to awaken the awareness and conscience of drivers so that they could at least contribute to traffic safety in this way.
During the campaign, in addition to the creation and distribution of educational materials that warn drivers about the importance of sober driving decisions, educational workshops were also held with graduates of the High School of Graphic Design and Multimedia Technologies in Ilidža and students at the International Burch University.
The end of the campaign before the holidays was rounded off by the panel discussion “Traffic is a shared responsibility: A sober choice – a safer road for everyone!” which was held at the Hills Hotel Sarajevo.
Those present at the Hills hotel in front of the organizers were greeted by Fatima Nikšić, executive director of the Zdravi team Association and Emina Idrizović in front of the Health Council of the Municipality of Ilidža. The moderator of the panel discussion was Indira Kriještorac Hadžirović.
During the panel discussion, experts from the fields of psychology, health and education spoke about the consequences of risky behavior, the importance of making sober decisions and shared responsibility for road safety.
Participants in the panel discussion were:
– Senka Cimpo, psychologist and psychotherapist
– Mirela Geko, Professional Center for Addiction Prevention
– Dr. Džana Kapić Herenda, doctor of medicine and psychologist
– Dr. Nejira Imamović, Red Cross of Ilidža Municipality
– Nedim Kamenjašević, court expert – traffic expert
– Adela Suljić, mother of the victimized doctor Alma Suljić
This was an opportunity to openly discuss a topic that, as we all know, is alarming in our country and the situation is getting worse every day. Every day we witness the tragic lives of innocents caused by arrogant drivers, especially when it comes to stiff-necked pedestrians who lose their lives at crosswalks.
The patron of the workshops was Health Council of the Municipality of Ilidžaand the project is dedicated to the tragically killed doctor Alma Suljić, who together with dr. Azrom Spahić, the victim of arrogant driving by a driver who was driving a vehicle without a driver’s license, in an intoxicated state, where during the investigation and analysis it was determined that he had 0.41 per thousand of alcohol in his blood, as well as the drug amphetamine.
In front of the Health Council of the Municipality of Ilidža in memory of dr. Emina Idrizović and Mubina Lončarić presented Alma Suljić, who was also their scholar at Hills, with a posthumous plaque to the mother of the fallen doctor.
The aim of the panel discussion was to raise awareness of the risks of driving under the influence of alcohol and other intoxicants, and to promote the safe and responsible behavior of all road users. A special focus is placed on young people, as well as on the role of parents, educational institutions and the community in the prevention of traffic accidents.
“Thank you for the invitation and it was a pleasure to be a part of this event. I would especially like to praise your efforts and work on raising the awareness of all road users, especially young drivers, about the harm and consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol and intoxicants. Every day we witness traffic accidents with fatal consequences, serious bodily injuries and material damage, which are mainly caused by fast driving and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Considering that your target group is young drivers, this topic and panel discussion has a special weight. I hope that in the future, other associations, especially the authorities, will use you as an example and finally take action to make traffic safer for all BiH residents. And please continue to do so in the future!” said Nedim Kamenjašević.
“Prevention is not just information. It is a process that strengthens the skills, attitudes and resilience of young people. And when we include young people as active actors, preventive messages become part of their everyday life, not just campaigns. In modern approaches to the prevention of risky behaviors, youth participation is recognized as a powerful preventive tool. Early education contributes to the development of the so-called protective factors, such as self-regulation, critical thinking, emotional literacy and the ability to set personal boundaries and say “no” in risky situations, because it does not act through intimidation or moralizing, but through empowering young people to understand their own emotions, recognize environmental pressures and develop resilience that enables them to make safe and responsible decisions in traffic and in the wider context of life.“- said Mirela Gekko.
“Understanding the specifics of developmental needs, neurobiology and the context of young people is the basis of adequate support and prevention of risky behavior in traffic. This means understanding and action of all of us together, in a family, school and social context!” said Senka Čimpo, psychologist and psychotherapist, from this panel discussion.
about the end of the Panel discussion: “Traffic is a shared responsibility – A sober choice, a safer road for everyone!” the executive director of the Healthy Team Association presented the Certificates of Appreciation to all the participants in the Panel, as well as to the representatives of the Health Council of the Municipality of Ilidža, who were the sponsors of this project.
Partners and Friends of the project are:
Hotel Hills, AD Plus, Platinium, Expert center for addiction prevention, Pharma Maac, Medicover Diagnostic laboratories, Grand coffee, Quick Frame, Water Drop, Maxum and Cvećara Džan.
We are not alone on the roads!
Our safety depends on the sober decisions we make every day…
The Health Council of the Municipality of Ilidža and the Healthy Team!
Photo: @unavisions
