Road Safety Awareness for Arab Speaking Communities in Alberta

Author(s): Khouri - AKL, AKL

Poster Presentation:

Poster link

Abstract:

Context:

Alberta witnessed an increase in Arab-speaking communities and we found there is a need to educate people on road safety to help achieve Vision Zero.

Objectives:

The initiative focused on Arabic Speaking Communities split into children and adults. Children will be addressed about the safe use of roads and given Bike helmets, adults will be presented with facts and a flyer in Arabic and English and how we can help towards Vision Zero.

Target Group:

Alberta and Calgary specifically have witnessed a recent growth in the Arab-speaking communities with many newcomers arriving. The project was aimed at Arab Speaking Groups in Alberta, to help relate between safety in Alberta and in their own countries (both language and country). It aims at reaching the people and explaining the importance of Vision Zero and how their decisions and actions can help and affect the results.

Activity(ies):

The project focused on 2 groups: children and adults.

Children: The project aimed at reaching out to children from Arabic Speaking communities and doing an intervention on the importance of road safety. This activity included several parts to help deliver the message to the children in an age-appropriate way. We aimed at reaching around 100 children. At the end of the interventions, we gave each child a bike helmet and make their pledge to adopt safe road behavior which would include always using the proper car seat restraint, always using pedestrian crossings, always wearing the helmet while enjoying wheeled outdoor activities. Another perspective to giving the helmet is to give an incentive for the kids to attend the presentation.
This will also be a reminder that will stay at home for the kid to deliver the messages discussed with children to the families.

Adults: This is a wide age group that was targeted. The aim of reaching these communities is to help them understand the cultural differences related to road safety between their own cultural background and Canadian especially the Alberta road safety. This group was invited to attend presentations that were delivered by an experienced YASA trainer that has a wide experience in many Arab countries as well as Canadian Law. The presentations included an audiovisual part, a discussion, and a flyer that was given to participants that focused on their role in achieving Vision Zero. The main theme of the presentations was to explain Vision Zero and its role in helping to achieve it.

Deliverables:

The general message behind all interventions is that we all share the roads and are all responsible to have safer roads and help the more vulnerable groups.