MVA starts Opotuli road safety campaign
MVA starts Opotuli road safety campaign

MVA starts Opotuli road safety campaign

NAMPA
The Motor Vehicle Accident MVA) Fund on Friday launched the 'Opotuli' road safety campaign for travellers returning to their respective destinations.

Opotuli means “we are here” in Oshiwambo.

It aims to make sure road users abide by the traffic laws.

The campaign's partners include the Namibian Police and the Private Sector Road Safety Forum.

MVA Fund acting spokesperson Sidney Boois there will be an increase of traffic on the main routes as most business operations commence today and most schools open this Wednesday.

“The checkpoint is there to check whether drivers and vehicles are in compliance with the road (traffic) system,” he said, referring to the Windhoek-Okahandja and Windhoek-Rehoboth police roadblocks.

Boois explained that road users are aware of the laws, however, their attitude and behaviour prove different.

Chief Executive Officer of the Private Sector Road Safety Forum Horst Heimstadt explained the campaign is a good initiative but he is not sure drivers realise the dangers of accidents when travelling.

“They claim to forget to check their vehicles, which should be done to prevent road accidents, but they do not forget to fill their petrol tanks,” Heimstadt said.

Conditions of tyres, windshields, lights and wiper blades are some of the things drivers should check before using the vehicle.

The Fund also handed out two baby-safety car seats to Fritz Reynecke and Loide Ayihengo, who were both stopped at the Windhoek-Okahandja roadblock for a routine check.

Reynecke, who was driving from Swakopmund to Windhoek, said he was happy with the gift.

He said the road is full of vehicles and most motorists were abiding to the laws.

“I am glad because I had a bigger car seat which does not fit into the car, so I am happy I received a smaller one,” said Ayihengo, who was driving from Rundu to Rosh Pinah with her two-month-old baby.

Vehicle dealer, M&Z Motors, handed over 10 child car seats to the MVA Fund in Windhoek during November last year in an initiative to prevent the risk of critical injury or fatality of infants and toddlers not strapped into child car seats.

Receivers of the car seats will be contacted after three months for an interview to be possible road safety ambassadors in their areas.

Operation Opotuli activities will be conducted along the B1 and B2 routes. The B1 runs from Noordoewer on the South African border to Oshikango on the Angolan border and B2 runs from Okahandja to Walvis Bay in the Erongo Region.

Nampa

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-24

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