Handicap International and PSA Foundation sign a partnership for the Road Prevention Project "Together for Safer Roads in the State of Tamil Nadu, India"

• Road safety actions with 1,500 students from two schools in Chennai
• Multimedia awareness campaign targeting 200,000 children, adolescents and young adults
• Tamil Nadu has one of the highest road crash fatalities in the country with over 65,500 reported deaths

"We are very proud to enter into this partnership with Handicap International in India in a new territory where GroupePSA and Citroën brand are based. The particularity of this programme lies in its objective: through awareness-raising among children in pilot schools and their parents, teacher training and the establishment of "safety school zones", to transmit best practices in road safety so that these proven practices can then be disseminated by institutional actors throughout the territory of Chennai and Tamil Nadu." says Karine Hillaireau, General Delegate of PSA Foundation.

(L to R) - Mr. S. Muthuvel Pandi, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Nugambakkam, Mr. Chella Durai, ATSWA Trust,  Govt of TN, Mr. M Vasu, Joint Director (NSS), DPI, Egmore, Govt of TN, Mr. Gabriel John Manohar, Head Master & Correspondent, MCC School, Mr. Willy Bergogne, Regional Programme Director, Handicap International , Ms. Anita, Anita Methodist School  and  Mr. Augustine Justin, HR Director, PCA Motors Pvt Ltd & Citroen with Mascot of Road Safety

Xavier du Crest, Director of Handicap International France, says: "With our local partner ATSWA Trust, we not only want to raise awareness among young people but also promote good road safety practices through this project with institutions, as we have been doing for more than 15 years in Africa, Asia and South America. For Handicap International, such actions are essential, as road accidents are one of the main causes of disability in the world. Every year, more than 50 million people are injured in road accidents."

Citroën Brand and PCA Motors Ltd in India are delighted with this partnership. "This project is very important for India, demonstrating that we are committed to the safety and well-being of the Indian people. I am personally involved in this project to support this cause."says Augustine Justin, PCA Motors Ltd Senior Director HR at GroupePSA and project sponsor.

As GroupePSA is developing its activities in India in Tamil Nadu region, PSA Foundation has decided to give concrete expression to the Group's social commitment in this region by carrying out a Road Prevention project until December 2020. "Together for Safer Roads in the State of Tamil Nadu, India" is having two components:

• the first part consists in carrying out "safety schools zones" actions which involve 1,500 children and 60 teachers in order to secure the surroundings of 2 schools in Chennai. These actions will be carried out in consultation with schools, teachers and parents;
• the second component plans to develop a broad communication campaign, particularly on social networks, with territorial bodies and ATSWA Trust in order to raise young people's awareness of the dangers of the road. Key messages will be targeted 200,000 teens and youths according to age groups and adapted to the most risky behaviors observed in India.

Road traffic fatalities and injuries are a growing public health concern in India. According to the World Health Organization, 300,000 people die each year in road accidents. About half of these deaths are among vulnerable road users - motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Other studies indicate that road accidents are the leading cause of death among children and young adults aged 5 to 29 years. Tamil Nadu has one of the highest numbers of Road Crash fatalities in the country (65,562 people died in Tamil Nadu in a single year from traffic crashes only). The city of Chennai, after Delhi, is the city with the second highest number of road crashes leading to fatalities and the first city for crashes leading to severe injuries.

About PSA Foundation: Solidarity mobility at the heart of our actions: PSA Foundation, created in June 2011, was born out of Groupe PSA’s desire to actively contribute to the development of solidarity and inclusion around the central theme of mobility. It is a strong part of its social responsibility policy, expressed through support for innovative local initiatives and management of national partnerships. In eight years of activity, PSA Foundation has supported more than 500 projects led by associations, NGOs and general interest organisations. Media library: medialibrary.groupe-psa.com

About Handicap International: Handicap International is an independent international solidarity association, which has been working for 35 years in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. Working alongside disabled and vulnerable people, it acts and testifies to meet their basic needs and improve their living conditions. It is committed to promoting respect for their dignity and fundamental rights. Since its creation in 1982, Handicap International has set up development programmes in more than 60 countries and intervenes in many emergency situations. The network of 8 national associations (Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and United States) works constantly to mobilize resources, co-manage projects and promote the organization's principles and actions. Handicap International is one of the six founding associations of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

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