Our colleague Marta Castaño, second prize in the IX Stop Accidentes Photography Contest
In this news section we ignore, just for today, the maxim that neither journalist nor photographer should be the protagonists of the information, but we do it with a justified cause. And Marta Castaño, our colleague from the Communication department and head of graphic image at the Mutua, has been awarded second prize in the IX National Photography Contest organized by Stop Accidentes. With the motto “Pedestrian, don't cross your life” the NGO seeks to promote among citizens a visual reflection on mobility in the urban and interurban sphere.
Marta Castaño has achieved this second prize with a photo titled “Pedestrians since we are born”, a black and white snapshot in which a man and his baby in his arms are seen, showing him a red traffic light. Marta has counted on the best possible models for the snapshot: her partner and her 13-month-old daughter.
“We are all pedestrians from the moment we are born, and as role models for our children, we must educate them in safe behavior on road safety from childhood because they are the pedestrians and drivers of the future,” stated the author of the photograph.
Pedestrians, including those with mobility problems, are one of the vulnerable groups that deserve greater protection, since in the event of an impact and run over, injuries are significant. The closed data for 2019 from the General Directorate of Traffic left 381 people dead, 247 on urban roads and 134 on interurban roads. Behind every deceased person there is a family, friends and co-workers, in addition to the economic impact it has on society.
“Our work environment is the training courses, the celebration of Occupational Road Safety Week, the creation of infographics and other products that we produce in the Communication Department. All of this encourages road safety to be part of our professional and personal DNA,” says Marta, who recognizes that since she became a mother her perception of risk has changed. "Suddenly you are able to see dangers where there were none before, something positive because it reinforces concepts that we forget given our frenetic pace of life. It also forces you to become aware of the importance of road safety, which can help us save lives, including our own or those of our children," he added.
Baby seats and child restraint systems for the car are mandatory safety elements in Spain. Its use is essential until the age of 12 or until the child reaches a height of 135 centimeters. "We should always put our little ones in their seats, and us in the seat belt, even if we go next door. There are no excuses not to use them," says the author of the image. Something that does not always happen because according to provisional data from the DGT in 2020, 27% of those killed in cars and vans did not use a seat belt, the highest percentage in the last ten years.
Stop Accidentes, Association for Help and Guidance for Those Affected by Traffic Accidents, a national reference and which last year celebrated 20 years of existence, is an entity that regularly collaborates with Fraternidad-Muprespa in the actions developed on the occasion of the Workplace Road Safety Week, organized by the Mutual. Last November, the third edition of said Week took place, which was developed with the format of Virtual Congress and with specific webinars that addressed how to reduce road accidents among pedestrians, and also the importance of training and raising awareness for children.
