• The Abertis Foundation, with the support of monitors from Institut Guttmann in Barcelona and the Spanish Red Cross, has rolled out a campaign to champion responsible driving over the course of the Superprestigio Dirt Track racing event in Barcelona, the aim being to alert young people to the dangers of driving under the effects of alcohol or drugs and losing concentration while at the wheel.
• The initiative featured the attendance of the Catalan Minister of Internal Affairs, Jordi Jané i Guasch; the director of the Catalan Traffic Unit (SCT), M. Eugènia Domènech; the director of the Abertis Foundation, Sergi Loughney; the managing director of Institut Guttmann, Josep M. Ramírez; and the regional vice-chairman of the Catalan Red Cross, Josep Quitet.
• As part of the same “Te queda una vida” campaign, a night-time event was held yesterday in Madrid, featuring the attendance of the coach of the CD Ilunion team and national wheelchair basketball selector, José Manuel Artacho, with volunteers from Fundación Once in Madrid; project manager of the Abertis Foundation, Ricard Fornesa; and volunteers from the Cruz Roja.

Barcelona, 12 December 2015

Abertis Foundation has staged two tandem events this weekend in Madrid and Barcelona to champion responsible driving. The initiative is aimed at young people aged from 18 to 30 and is part of the “Te queda una vida” (”You only have one life left”) campaign.

On occasion of the Superprestigio Dirt Track motorcycling event held today at Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Red Cross volunteers and a group of monitors from Institut Guttmann, all of whom had sustained spinal injuries as a result of a traffic accident, mingled with the young audience in the hope of raising their awareness of the need for responsible driving and alerting them of the dangers of driving under the effects of alcohol or drugs, or of becoming distracted while at the wheel.

The campaign featured the attendance of the Catalan Minister of Internal Affairs, Jordi Jané i Guasch; the director of the Catalan Traffic Unit (SCT), M. Eugènia Domènech; the director of the Abertis Foundation, Sergi Loughney; the managing director of Institut Guttmann, Josep M. Ramírez; and the regional vice-chairman of the Catalan Red Cross, Josep Quitet.

Dr. Ramírez, managing director of Institut Guttmann, had the following words to say: “With this initiative, which also falls within the programme of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Institut Guttmann, we hope to raise awareness among young people of the consequences of irresponsible conduct when at the wheel of cars and motorbikes. Above all it will help us to continue our work aimed at preventing accidents and raising awareness among the most vulnerable groups, hand in hand with our main partner companies, one being Abertis Foundation”.

Sergi Loughney, director of Institutional Relations and CSR at Abertis and director of the Abertis Foundation, had the following to add: “with this initiative, we hope to convince young people to drive more carefully and responsibly and to get over the idea they are invincible because at the end of the day we are all vulnerable”.

Also as part of the “Te queda una vida” road safety programme, the Abertis Foundation staged a night-time event yesterday in the central Santa Ana square in Madrid with the aim of raising awareness among young people of the need for responsible driving when out and about.

The event featured the attendance of the coach of the CD Ilunion team and national wheelchair basketball selector, José Manuel Artacho, with volunteers from Fundación Once in Madrid; project manager of the Abertis Foundation, Ricard Fornesa; and volunteers from the Cruz Roja.

Abertis Foundation

Since its inception, the Abertis Foundation has been promoting an ambitious road safety programme based, among other actions, on delivering road safety classes at schools and on actions and events to raise awareness of the need for responsible driving among young people, and on campaigns to improve the safety of drivers aged over 70. The events staged this weekend fall within the “Te queda una vida” campaign aimed at young people aged between 18 and 30.

The Abertis Foundation acts in the social, environmental and cultural spheres by articulating CSR policy at Abertis, world leader in toll road management. Castellet Castle (Barcelona), the headquarters of the Abertis Foundation, is a UNESCO Centre for Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves.