Latvia to sound special alert signal today urging drivers to buckle up
Latvia's Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) launches a seatbelt awareness campaign today at 11:00, broadcasting a special alert signal nationwide across radio stations and media. The initiative follows last year's toll of 20 deaths in severe crashes where seatbelts were not used.
Latvia's Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) is launching a new road safety campaign today under the slogan "The last dance begins without a belt. Don't break — buckle up!", aimed at encouraging drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts.
The campaign's opening event takes place at 11:00 at the "Kimmel" quarter in Riga. At the same time, a special alert signal will be broadcast on several radio stations and in the media across the country, symbolizing the harsh reality on Latvia's roads. The signal will air on stations of the "Eiropas Hitu Radio" group, "Radio Skonto", "Radio Tev", "Radio Star FM", "TOP Radio", as well as at "Circle K" gas stations.
Participants
The launch event includes Transport Minister Rihards Kozlovskis, CSDD board chairman Aivars Aksenoks, CSDD road safety expert Oskars Irbītis, Deputy Head of the State Police Response Department Sabīne Irbeniece-Česle, Riga Technical University researcher Juris Blūms, Svens Rubulis of the Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital's trauma center, and Edgars Korzāns of insurer "Balcia".
The statistics behind the campaign
According to CSDD, last year Latvia recorded 47 severe road accidents in which 20 people died, with many more sustaining serious injuries. The directorate says many of these cases involved victims who failed to follow passive safety rules — namely, not wearing a seatbelt.
The campaign is organized by CSDD together with the State Police and strategic partners, and is funded through CSDD and the Road Traffic Safety Council using mandatory third-party vehicle insurance premiums collected quarterly for accident-prevention purposes.
