Cagliari The parents of Najibe Zaher – the father Omar and the mother Merita – the 20 year old girl who died last September 10th together with three very young friends in the frightening accident in Viale Marconi, were the testimonials of the final event of the regional school competition “Walking around in safety”, conceived and created by the Sardinia Traffic Police Department and shared with the Ministry of Education.
Seven hundred pupils and students from different areas of Sardinia took part this morning in the awards ceremony for classes of the first and second level schools that participated in the competition, in the presence of military authorities, Anas Sardegna, Aci, the Service Health Emergency, the Fiab association and the representative of the “Franco di Suni” national racetrack in Mores.
Before the final awards ceremony in the fair’s conference room – among the winners was Lula’s nursery school, Bitti’s comprehensive institute -, short lessons on correct driving of cars, motorbikes and even bicycles, dangers and to avoid, simulations of medical first aid in the event of accidents and the much appreciated exhibition of historic traffic police cars and motorbikes. Students and pupils paid a lot of attention to the simulation of a serious accident and to rescue operations.
«The ones we wanted to give you – the head of the Polstrada Department of Sardinia said at the opening to schoolchildren and students, Giovanni Marziano – they are just “safety pills”. Our specially trained agents continually go to schools to spread a culture based on respect for the highway code, but in particular on respect for life, both their own and that of others.”
The commissioner Rosanna Lavezzaro, spoke to the children present with his heart in his hand, that of his mother. «Listen to me, please – the commissioner said in his appeal -, make sure that your parents never receive a phone call announcing an accident involving their children. That accident which unfortunately we road safety operators were unable to avoid. I know that your young age leads you to think that you are masters of the world and that nothing bad can happen to you. A beautiful, intoxicating feeling that we all felt some time ago. But we must necessarily reconcile it with reality and with the enormous and often irreversible damage that reckless driving, inattention, excessive speed can cause to yourself and others. I beg you, think.”
The national director of Polstrada recalled that road accidents are always on the increase, often fatal. «In our statistics for the last two years – said Mastrapasqua -, it emerges that the first cause of accidents is distraction caused by the use of a smartphone while driving. With just a few meters, anything can happen. When you drive, all you have to do is drive. The world of the road is very complex: a cyclist, a motorbike, a pedestrian, a dog, a pothole. Everything can constitute a sudden danger.”
Particularly the appeal addressed to young people, in particular to high school students, by Omar Zaher, father of poor Najibe. «What is created with the loss of a child is an atrocious pain, it leaves an unfillable void. No other pain can compare to this. Be careful, always be cautious and also check what your friends with whom you go out in the evening are doing. Anyone who has been drinking, anyone who is sleepy, anyone who is tired should not get behind the wheel. Let a friend who is clear-headed drive. Or call your parents, even if it’s night. They will still be happy to have been disturbed, even if it is night or dawn.”
