2004 John Smith Fellow Poghos Shahinyan launches Road Safety Campaign in Armenia
On Thursday 11 May 2006, FIA Foundation sponsored Fellow Poghos Shahinyan officially launched the National Road Safety Council Armenia (NRSC) and their ‘Think Before You Drive’ road safety campaign in Yerevan.
President of the Automobile Federation of Armenia Mkrtich Piltoyan, FIA President Max Mosley, and NRSC Director Poghos Shahinyan
(Photo courtesy of National Road Safety Council Armenia)
The NRSC Armenia is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation which aims to improve road safety and awareness in Armenia. Directed by 2004 Armenian Fellow Poghos Shahinyan and Chaired by Mkrtich Pitloyan, President of the Automobile Federation of Armenia (FAA), the NRSC have developed an Armenian version of the FIA Foundation’s ‘Think Before You Drive’ campaign with literature in Armenian and artwork aimed at all road users including children. Leafelts and stickers place particular emphasis on the importance of seatbelts and checking tyre condition. During the campaign the NRSC distributed tyre gauges and road safety information booklets free of charge to drivers, pedestrians, police officers and other interested road users. They have also provided a ‘seat belt slide’ - which simulates the effect of a low impact crash while wearing a seatbelt - for the public to try out in four different districts in Yerevan.
Those present at the launch included John Smith Trust Director Emma MacLennan, Andranik Manukyan (Armenian Transport Minister), H.E. Vardan Oskanyan (Foreign Minister), Mher Shahgeldyan (Head of the Internal Affairs and National Security Standing Committee of the Parliament), Mkritch Piltoyan (President of the FAA), Max Mosley (President of the FIA), and David Ward (General Director of the FIA Foundation), among many others. Max Mosley was elected by the Board of the NRSC Armenia as honourable President of the NRSC.
Members of the Armenian National Road Safety Council with David Ward and Max Mosley
(Photo courtesy of the FIA Foundation)
Meetings were held throughout the day between those attending the launch to discuss current road safety issues, the future road safety strategy in Armenia, programmes for road injury prevention, and further cooperation between those organisations present. The launch attracted a great deal of media attention as several TV channels covered the event and a Press Conference was held at the ‘Yerevan Golden Tulip’ Hotel where Mkitrich Piltoyan, Max Mosley and David Ward answered questions about the campaign.
Mkrtich Piltoyan, Max Mosely, and David Ward at the Press Conference
(Photo courtesy of the NRSC Armenia)
The launch was a huge success and due to the popularity of the seat belt slide, other areas have requested the introduction of the slide in their district. The John Smith Trust congratulates Poghos on his tremendous achievement – we wish him every success in his future efforts to improve road safety and awareness in Armenia.