Luchemos por la vida

History

Luchemos por la Vida was created in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 20 June 1990 by a group of people concerned about the daily loss of lives in Argentine traffic. Their principle stated that "every effort is worth to save a life", but their main goal was ambitious: "that no more people die in traffic accidents". As none of the members had specific training on the subject, it was decided to look up national and international information about the problem. Some local institutions related to the road issue in Argentina were contacted apart from embassies to know the situation abroad.

The first tasks of the organization consisted in spreading the concern about traffic accidents in the Argentine population. Since this process required to work closer with the community, initially each member talked to friends and neighbors about the problem, followed by the first brochures and posters that were distributed in shops, schools, churches, and newspapers in the neighborhoods of the city. Since then, Luchemos por la Vida has maintained a continued work that, among other things, helped place the problem of traffic safety in the media agenda and national politics. The authorities of Luchemos por la Vida estimate that many lives have been saved due to the changes that have occurred in road safety in Argentina since 1990.

Objectives

Luchemos por la Vida's main purpose is to prevent traffic accidents to reduce the fatality rates connected to this cause. The organization concentrates its biggest efforts in actions to modify the attitudes, behaviors, and habits of those who walk or drive on the streets every day (car drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists) to reduce the number of dead and injured people. Because of this, the organization takes three main courses of action:

Areas of work

Luchemos por la Vida works on four areas to improve traffic education and road safety:

Activities

Since 1992, Luchemos por la Vida has carried out a massive campaign of prevention of traffic accidents on Argentine radio and television that is broadcast throughout the country and other Latin American nations. Designed to help prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries, it attempts to raise concern about the problem of traffic accidents, increase the "perception of risk" among users of public roads, and promote safer road behavior. Through the use of several and changing advertising strategies, the organization provides information about safe behaviors along with main causes of accidents and deaths in traffic. The keys for prevention of mortality in traffic are spread every day: use of seat belts and helmets, alcohol and driving, speeding, night driving, and safety of pedestrians, passengers, and bikers, among others. With different formats, the advertisements provide messages that are suitable for the population in general and also focused groups. Nearly 1,000 Argentine media outlets –among them, open TV channels, cable TV channels, and AM and FM radios from Buenos Aires and all the Argentine provinces and from Latin America through CNN en Español and other international channels have contributed to spread the campaign of the organization.

Work with newspapers, magazines, TV, and radios

The organization has built channels of communication with radios and television channels to guarantee the collaboration of opinion formers in spreading public awareness regarding the lack of road safety and its possible solutions. Different kinds of activities are carried out, among them:

Luchemos por la Vida magazine

This quarterly publication is distributed freely to all town councils and is designed to promote public interest on traffic safety and prevention of traffic accidents and share information from developments and research in other countries.

Traffic safety education

Since the beginning of its activities, the organization has promoted the incorporation of traffic safety education at schools with the help of private firms.

Government and public policies

The organization petitions the authorities for public policies about road safety and effective actions, and attempts to contribute, clarify, and collaborate with these activities.

Proposals for laws and monitoring of their effective enforcement

Luchemos por la Vida promoted, through mass media and document mails sent to the national authorities, the sanction of a decree (692/92) and, later, a new National Law of Traffic (24,449), declaring the obligatory use of seat belts and helmets for motorcycle and moped riders, the prohibition of taking children on the front seats of a vehicle, and maximum BAC levels, apart from other regulations. Luchemos por la Vida also follows the proper enforcement of the law so that it is really put in practice through effective controls and sanctions to the transgressors. Luchemos por la Vida is currently promoting the punishment of crimes against traffic safety and its inclusion in Argentine legislation.

Members of the Consultative Committee of the National Road Safety Agency

The organization is part of the National Road Safety Agency (Agencia Nacional de Seguridad Vial, ANSV) as a member of the Consultative Committee and provides direct advice in several issues, such as: campaigns for public awareness, training and traffic education programs, criminal research, production of books, implementation of controls, training for patrols, statistics, etc.

Training courses for government employees

Every year, conferences and training courses for government employees with executive responsibilities, inspectors, and traffic police are developed in the city of Buenos Aires and different provincial towns to improve their enforcement of the law in the traffic system or as trainers of their forces or community traffic teachers. 18 National Conferences on Safety and Road Education have already been given only in Buenos Aires and more that 700 government employees have been present at them.

Traffic safety courses for drivers looking to renew their licenses

As certain Argentine town councils do not require minimum conditions of suitability for driving when granting licenses, Luchemos por la Vida designed and promoted training programs and theoretical and practical tests in order to achieve a responsible granting of driving licenses. In addition, the organization has designed and given courses for new drivers and people that renew their driving licenses in the Directorate of Traffic of the government of the city of Buenos Aires.

Production of teaching materials

The organization has created two free educational videos that aim to improve traffic safety and education.

Claves para una conducción segura ("Keys to safe driving")

Produced for training of drivers, it is given without cost to offices that grant driving licenses in Argentina and Latin America.

Cazadores de peatones ("Hunters of pedestrians")

Its distribution is free to all public and private elementary schools in Argentina. The film promotes the participation of the students and encourages their capacity to think about the traffic system and safe pedestrian behavior. A guide for educational activity in the classroom is attached. It can be used for teaching of ten to thirteen-year-old children, as part of the program of studies or in an extracurricular way.

Production of books, posters, and brochures

Design and printing of posters, brochures, and books concerning road safety and education and manuals respecting safe driving.

Research

Luchemos por la Vida carries out studies and research about two problems of road safety: statistics of traffic accidents, especially about mortality in Argentina, and research on human behavior in the traffic system: behaviors that are able to be seen and beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, and other factors that motivate them, use of seat belts and helmets, efficiency of law enforcement, and traffic flow.

The Luchemos por la Vida awards

Given for the first time in 1996, the Luchemos por la Vida awards are bestowed on those who make important efforts to promote the prevention of traffic accidents and spread public awareness. The ceremony is held yearly and guests, people who represent institutions and private firms, authorities, and media outlets are present.

Participation in international scientific organizations and publications

Luchemos por la Vida takes part in or collaborates with international technical and political scientific organizations such as:

Training courses for drivers

The organization has designed and puts into practice safe driving courses for new drivers, drivers seeking to renew their licenses, drivers working in private firms, and professional drivers.

Support of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020

In support of the declaration of the years 2011–2020 as the "Decade of Action for Road Safety" by the United Nations General Assembly, Luchemos por la Vida promotes its own actions and seeks to engage authorities and society regarding four subjects to reduce road fatalities: helmet use, use of safety belt and child restraint systems, avoidance of driving after taking alcohol, and speed control.

Board of Directors