02/06/2010
World rally champion Sébastien Loeb has given his support to the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative’s bid to promote motorcycle helmet wearing across the developing world. The FIA Foundation is a partner in the GHVI which aims to boost helmet wearing in a range of low and middle income countries.
Speaking at the Vodafone Rallye de Portugal on 27 May, Loeb said that the numbers of road traffic deaths and injuries in developing countries due to people not wearing helmets are far too high.
The GHVI is a key scheme under the newly proclaimed UN Decade of Action for road safety. It is hoped that the GHVI will help contribute to the overall Decade of Action objective of saving 5 million lives and cutting 50 million serious injuries on the world’s roads.
Sébastien Loeb said: “As a rally driver, I know my helmet is a life saver. But in many countries people are killed just because they are not wearing a helmet. This is not right. We need to see a helmet on every head in the Decade of Action for road safety.”
Low levels of helmet wearing are becoming a growing problem in countries such as Cambodia where motorcycles account for 77% of total crashes, and 44% of victims suffer severe head injuries. Earlier in May, the GHVI launched schools based programmes and a public awareness campaign to encourage helmet wearing in Cambodia.
For further information on the GHVI visit: www.helmetvaccine.org
