A team of emergency specialists from Apollo Hospitals set off on a car rally on Monday to create awareness on the importance of road safety, keeping in line with the National Road Safety Month.
According to a press release, members of the rally took the safety pledge and began on a journey to Kanyakumari from Chennai. The five-car convoy, along with an ambulance, will culminate in Chennai on February 4.
Rahul Menon, chief operating officer (COO), Apollo Hospitals OMR, Santy Sajan, COO, Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, Arup Sinha, executive director, IOCL, Southern Region and Pradeep, chief medical officer of Mahindra & Mahindra flagged off the rally.
It was aimed at sensitising people across the State to various road safety principles to avoid fatal incidents, including avoid rash driving, don’t drink and drive, use helmet/seatbelt, avoid fatigued driving, avoid cell phones and follow rules while crossing roads. Speaking at the event, Dhavapalani, head of Emergency, Apollo Hospitals said India has the dubious distinction of leading the world in terms of deaths due to road accidents. Wearing a helmet, wearing seatbelts and adhering to road safety rules would save many more lives than what the medical fraternity could achieve.
The rally will spread awareness, especially at RTOs and offices of the Superintendent of Police, across the State and provide hands on training on basic life support and first aid. They will distribute leaflets at 49 identified toll plazas on the route. Awareness leaflets were distributed at 30 signals in Chennai. It also includes ophthalmology screening and cardiac outreach programme at 32 metropolitan transport depots, 10 State Express Transport Corporation depots and 30 Tamil Nadu State Express Transport Corporation depots, the release said.
