The Road Safety Matters colloquium took place yesterday. The online presentations were a success and the virtual event saw the highest number of participants yet, reaching over 200. A pertinent and relevant question was discussed: the role of health and safety within organisations and countries making consideration of new challenges like COVID-19.
The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, says in less than a year the colloquiums have grown exponentially. “We take care to choose topics that will resonate with our audience and find the best experts to address the topic. In the ‘Road Safety Matters’ colloquium we were fortunate to secure international speakers who could address the topic along with local experts,” says Herbert.
The first international speaker was Michael Chippendale, the communications manager for the Global Road Safety Partnership, who provided an international perspective on how road safety is approached within organisations. He addressed four important areas of road safety including that that assume responsibility, road safety within the private sector, making road safety into a culture and spreading the road safety imperative beyond businesses.”
The next international speaker was Madelon Jansen, international sales development manager, from DriveTech. Jansen looked at why driver training remains an essential in health and safety policies. She spoke about the international state of driver training and the importance of paying attention to the well-being and health of drivers at the same time.
The last international speaker was Tanya Fosdick, head of research at Agilysis Limited. Fosdick discussed the importance of using lessons learnt from road safety data to guide interventions and behaviour change. This includes understanding behaviour change, what motivates people to change behaviour and how to make this possible.
As part of the local experts, Stephen Moran, the SHEQ director for the African region of Afrox provided local context. Moran explored the role corporates play in balancing COVID-19 protocols and other health and safety standards. He says strong leadership is an essential part of successfully creating a zero-incidents organisation and COVID-19 is another risk that should be added to the management of risks.
Lastly, Layton Beard, the PR manager from the AA South Africa looked at the threat of AARTO and its potential implementation. Beard shared the bleak picture the current statistics paint of our roads. There are proposed legislation changes expected in the future but how effective these will be in creating the change we need to see remains to be seen.
The morning was concluded with a question-and-answer section. “This one of our most interactive sections with important and relevant questions raised about the situation faced in South Africa and what it will take to see change. The morning concluded with the prize giveaway where attendees could enjoy valuable and enjoyable prizes. A highlight for many.
“We encourage participants to join us at the next colloquium planned for 12 August 2021. MasterDrive looks forward to sharing valuable presentations and demonstrations with you that will prove essential to both individuals and companies,” says Herbert.
