The abertis foundation is playing an active role in the campaign started by the Sant Joan de Déu hospital (HSJD) to prevent accidents to children inside and outside the home and on the road. The HSJD has set up a large marquee in front of its building – through which a thousand families pass every day – with educational content and advice for children and their parents, as well as being equipped to run interactive workshops. In this venue, which has been open to the public since November, a trainer from the abertis foundation has been giving sessions aimed at children and their families and distributing a range of educational materials. This scheme forms part of the educational project Conduce a tu familia (Steer Your Family), part of the Road Safety Programme backed by the foundation.

The contents of the materials and the training sessions – given on Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 2pm – are similar to those of the Road Safety Programme in Schools which the abertis foundation has been running for the third year in a row at various primary schools throughout Spain. They place special emphasis on wearing a safety belt, on using child safety systems (child seats) on wearing a helmet while cycling, on the risks of using a mobile phone while driving, on getting ready for long journeys and on driving at a suitable speed.

During the launch of the campaign for the media, Sant Joan de Déu provided various figures connected with traffic accidents involving children. For example, 66% of minors involved in accidents are not using any proper safety system while travelling by car. Moreover, according to a study for the RACC motoring association and Jané and conducted by the child accident working group of the Spanish paediatric emergency society under the co-ordination of the HSJD in the emergency units of twelve Spanish hospitals, three out of every four children who have to be admitted to hospital were not secured with a child safety system at the time of the accident.