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Driving any vehicle, or as a passenger in one, or even as a pedestrian, all of us are at some point in the middle of traffic and for that reason, all of us, without exception, need to pay attention and participate in the Yellow May campaigns.
What is Yellow May, why is it important and what can be done for actions to produce results, is what we will see in this content.
What is Yellow May?
Yellow May is the month of the Annual Color Calendar, in which awareness campaigns are carried out on the importance of seeking to reduce traffic accident rates.
The month began to be dedicated to the same purpose in several countries, since on May 11, 2011, the United Nations (UN) defined the period from 2011 to 2020 as the “Decade of Action for Road Safety” . In 2021, this time through the World Health Organization (WHO) – which is part of the UN – it started in Geneva, Switzerland, the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030.
In Brazil, the initiative was born in 2014, created by National Road Safety Observatorya non-profit social institution (NGO), which promotes actions aimed at reducing the high rates of occurrences in Brazilian traffic, for example, warning people about the dangers of traffic and how it is possible to reduce the number of accidents .
The choice of the yellow color was due to the same reasons for its use in traffic signs. Yellow is the color indicative of attention / alert, whether at traffic lights or on road signs, not only in Brazil, but worldwide.
According to data from the National Plan for the Reduction of Deaths and Injuries in Traffic (Pnatrans), the goal is, over a period of ten years, to reduce by at least half (50%) the national rate of deaths in traffic per group of vehicles (10,000 vehicles) and the national rate of deaths in traffic per group of inhabitants ( 100 thousand inhabitants).
Also according to Pnatrans, in 2020, 32,716 people died in traffic accidents in the country, and in the period between 2015 and 2019, the accident rate had dropped by 21%, but in 2020 it grew again.
Several studies and surveys carried out in the most diverse countries point out that traffic accidents are primarily responsible for deaths in the 15 to 29 age group; the second, in the range of 5 to 14 years; and the third, in the range of 30 to 44 years.
Why is it important for companies to participate in Yellow May?
As we began the discussion of the topic, everyone, without exceptionwe are actors in traffic, whether behind the wheel, as passengers in any vehicle, or as pedestrians.
Therefore, we can on different occasions, actively or passively, be subject to an accident. And traffic accidents, in addition to the resulting deaths, often also produce various sequelae in the victims who survive.
So much so that the discussion on the subject involves public authorities, private initiative and civil society in all countries.
Developing actions of any nature aimed at safer traffic is at least one way for companies to exercise their social responsibility, since several of the organizations that participate as maintainers of the National Road Safety Observatory are companies that have ESG guidelines.
But also because a significant portion of vehicle drivers are professional drivers. That is, they are employees of the company or a third party providing service. Therefore, directly or indirectly, the way companies handle the management of this contingent of drivers influences accident rates.
Last but not least, even when a traffic accident does not produce fatalities or sequelae, it can bring losses and other consequences for companies that had an employee involved and/or a vehicle from their fleet.
There is even a loss when any professional stays longer due to the accident of a third party.
Thus, the reduction of traffic accidents is a matter of relevant interest for companies.
How can companies promote Yellow May?
Doing what most people do, which includes the “publicity part”, with reminders, buttons, posters, for example, is not much, but it is something.
But it is possible to go much further and in many cases, although the return may be difficult to measure, it can occur in different ways.
1. Awareness
Awareness is the first step. No other action manages to reach its best rates if those involved are not fully aware of the impacts and consequences, as well as the roles that each one plays.
Talking about the subject requires remembering for the third time that even as pedestrians, we contribute to reducing – or increasing – the indicators. A pedestrian who does not respect the traffic laws is increasing the unfavorable numbers of the statistics.
Although important, it is not necessarily necessary that lectures be given by specialists in the subject. There are different ways to promote awareness, such as videos, infographics, booklets, etc.
However, it is of no use for a company that has professional drivers to promote awareness programs so that they do not drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs, respect the signs and whatever else is necessary and, in the opposite direction, impose work schedules that induce them to exceed the speed from public roads and highways and to carry out long journeys while sleepy.
2. Training
Many companies have hitchhiking professionals on their staff. Their training and recycling is essential for them to carry out activities based on principles of safety and respect for traffic laws.
From good practices and defensive driving, to basic mechanical notions, so that they know how to recognize when the vehicle needs maintenance or has an indication of an imminent problem, as these are situations in which the chances of accidents increase.
Parallel to these trainings, the aforementioned awareness is essential, since know-how is accompanied by the motivation to do it.
3. Respect for traffic laws
Respect for traffic laws is one of the most basic premises, but unfortunately, it is easy and frequent to see people violating the law.
And it’s not just the drivers. Pedestrians and cyclists also have conditions provided for by the National Traffic Council (Contran), but do not comply with them, either because they are unaware of it or because they believe it is not necessary, such as crossing public roads outside the pedestrian crossing, which can be particularly risky depending on the road.
In the case of vehicle drivers, just observe the behavior of many at traffic lights, when several accelerate on yellow, and the correct thing is to brake / slow down. Some have the same attitude, even when the light has already changed to red.
For a minute or two that is “lost” standing at the lighthouse, some put their own lives and others at risk.
And this is one of the many situations where, in addition to respecting the law, there is awareness again.
4. Quality of Life at Work (QVT)
There are also other factors that directly and indirectly have an influence, such as quality of working life (QWL).
Most are led to think that this is an aspect related only to those who make driving vehicles their professional activity. But it’s not just them who are influenced. After a day at work, what any person experienced within the work environment, to some degree, will affect their level of stress, anxiety and patience when they return home.
Naturally, in the case of those who work behind the wheel is their livelihood, but who can also be a motorcycle or bicycle, which they live in their professional daily lives, is even more decisive in the chances of producing an accident.
It is necessary to rethink certain “charges” on these professionals. A bus driver cannot place his need to meet schedules above the lives of the people he transports, nor other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
The same applies to couriers and couriers on motorcycles and bicycles, so common today and who often, in the name of productivity that determines their remuneration, exceed the limits, disrespect the legislation and threaten their own lives and those of third parties.
It is the type of condition that has even gone beyond QVT, but which we will deal with later.
5. Home Office
Home office or telework can also be a form of contribution.
In addition to the many advantages for employer and employee, people who work remotely / home office represent a contingent outside traffic, both as drivers, pedestrians or passengers in overcrowded public transport vehicles.
Even those who do it on a partial basis, that is, for just a few days, already represent some contribution to the purpose.
6. Technology
The legislation obliges only some vehicles and for certain purposes, to be equipped with tachographs and that is a device that records the speeds practiced over a period of time / route.
The tachograph, like other telemetry-based technologies that collect and transmit various information about a vehicle and its conditions of use, serve as important tools to evaluate professional drivers and thus be able to provide corrective training, recycling, awareness and even in extreme cases , apply warnings.
7. Partnerships
For a long time, when companies form partnerships, they charge partners with certain requirements, such as, for example, manufacturing standards for components that comply with their minimum requirements. It started with companies that were ISO certified and has since expanded well beyond that.
This type of requirement can and should also cover questions related to the transport of goods, for example. Thus, giving preference to those who manage to certify that they are as diligent in this regard as they are in other aspects of service provision is a way of contributing to safer traffic.
This concern makes even more sense when the partnership is based on outsourcing, since in this case the third party starts to represent the company in something that would originally be its responsibility.
8. Maintenance
The company’s last action in favor of reducing traffic accidents is the maintenance of vehicles in its fleet or concern about how it is done, when the fleet is outsourced, a very common situation.
It is known from numerous studies that an important portion of accidents happen due to lack of maintenance or negligence in its performance.
In addition to seeing many vehicles intended for commercial transport, already with several years in activity, a good part of them are running in questionable conditions and without any schedule of revisions.
Maintenance often only happens when a component reaches the end of its useful life. The problem is when the vehicle system in question is a fundamental part of safety, such as brakes and tires, for example.
Conclusion
Yellow May is a month of alert and awareness of a world-wide problem and which also in Brazil, produces many victims – traffic accidents.
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