TISPOL Bulletin

A proud moment for Paolo Cestra

TISPOL's Honorary President, Paolo Cestra, recently received the Medal of Spain's Guardia Civil at na ceremony in Madrid. Colonel of the Polizia Stradale, Cestra has been the President of TISPOL for more than two years, ending his term in April 2019. He is currently the Honorary President. Throughout his term, he has been leading the Organization brilliantly, maintaining this organization in which the Agrupacion de Trafico de la Guardia Civil (Spain) is present, always active and strengthened.  

Among these proposals that Cestra has supported, he highlights his active participation in Operation Safe Holidays, an operation that has been led by Spain. In this Operation, controls have been carried out in Italian territory, aimed at drivers of North African origin that circulate in the direction of Spain to cross the Strait, so that these vehicles circulate safely and circulate through our territory with the cargo well-conditioned. In addition, it has significantly promoted the proposal, within the framework of Operation Safe Holidays, of the commission of two components of the Polizia Stradale in Ibiza, where a large number of Italian tourists spend the summer.

In addition, it is considered that Cestra is also a creditor of this distinction by the Guardia Civil, since this award would be making an express recognition to TISPOL, in this case through its Honorary President.

The police cooperation that is represented in our case in TISPOL, not only implies collaboration in the planning of campaigns or operational coordination, but also must involve mutual recognition when circumstances arise for it.

Also he received the medal to the (Cruz del Mérito de la Guardia Civil), on the occasion of the Patron of the Guardia Civil, because with this medal, Guardia Civil distinguishes his work as President of TISPOL.

Therefore, coinciding with the end of his mandate at the head of TISPOL, the medal of Merit of the Guardia Civil was granted on the occasion of official celebration of the Virgen del Pilar, Patron of the Guardia Civil. 

The medal was given by the General Ramón Rueda Ratón, Head of the Agrupación de Tráfico of the Guardia Civil, on 10 October 2019 in Madrid.

 

TISPOL's alcohol and drugs enforcement operation begins Monday 9 December

POLICE OFFICERS across Europe begin a week-long campaign on Monday 9 December to raise awareness of the dangers of drink driving and drug driving. The campaign is co-ordinated by TISPOL (the European Traffic Police Network), and involves officers in all member countries conducting alcohol and drug checks at any time of the day and night. 

TISPOL President Volker Orben says:  “Driving after consuming any alcohol is dangerous. Driving while over the drink drive limit is against the law. Drivers will experience slower reactions, poor judgement of speed, reduced co-ordination and concentration with much lower levels of alcohol in their system. 

“Taking a chance and driving while under the influence of alcohol all too often leads to a collision, often with grave consequences.

“It’s also important to be aware of the continuing effects of alcohol the day after an evening of drinking. Your body takes time to remove alcohol from your system. If it is still present in your body, then it will be identified during a breath test. That’s why a night’s sleep is no guarantee that you’re safe and legal to drive the next morning.

The drug drive menace
Officers across Europe are particularly aware of the increasing frequency of driving under the influence of drugs, especially among young drivers. In many cases, they appear unaware of the dangers and trivialise their drug use. They fail to consider that their safety can be impaired a long time after they took a drug – sometimes more than a week later.

“If you have used recreational drugs, then do not drive,” urges Paolo Cestra. “If you are taking medicine, whether prescribed or purchased over the counter, then read the notes of advice that go with it. If these tell you not to drive after taking the medicine, then do not drive. The advice is there for a reason, to keep you and others safe.”

“If you are in any doubt about medicines and driving, then our advice is to consult a healthcare professional before you get behind the wheel.”

TISPOL’s messages this year remain simple:

• Your ability to drive safely is impaired by even a small amount of alcohol. 
• No one else can force you to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It’s a choice you make, and we urge you to ensure you make the safe choice. So if you have had a drink, do not drive. If you need to drive, then do not drink.
• Don’t get into a car if you suspect the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs. Instead, make a responsible decision and call the police immediately.

Drivers can expect highly visible and widespread enforcement of alcohol and drug laws during the operation, at any location and at any time of day or night. 

 

News from across Europe...

Bulgaria to receive extra funding for
road improvements

Bulgaria receive an additional 57 million levs ($32 million/29 million euro) in EU funding under operational programme Regions in Growth 2014-2020 to finance two road infrastructure projects, the regional development ministry said. 

The government's Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) will get over 55 million levs which it will use to rehabilitate six road sections with a total length of 134 kilometres, the ministry said in a statement last week.

 

Belgium: rise in drink driving

More than one driver in 10 is driving on weeknights under the influence of alcohol, more than twice more than fifteen years ago, the latest Vias barometer published last week revealed.

Globally, the percentage of drivers under the influence has reached 1.9%, an identical figure to that of fifteen years ago. More than 6,100 drivers were tested for the purposes of this barometer.

The percentage of drink drivers largely depends on the time of the week. During the days of the week, an average of 0.4% of drivers test positive; on weekend days, it is 1.2%. On the other hand, these percentages rocket at night: more than one driver in 10 (10.7%) drives while over the legal limit on weeknights and nearly one driver in eight (12.6%) does so on nights over the weekend, Vias stated.

 

Poland: All Saints' Day weekend sees high fatality rates on the country's road

Despite the prime minister's call for road safety before last month's All Saints' Day holiday, 25 people were killed in 268 road accidents over the long weekend, according to results published by the Polish police.

Just prior to the weekend when most Poles travelled across the country to join family and visit cemeteries where their dead are buried, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki issued an appeal to Poles via his Facebook page.

"This is a special time, when we realize how very valuable our lives are. Let's remember that when we get behind the driver's wheel," Morawiecki said in this two-minute speech. 

In 2018, according to Morawiecki, 50 people died and 500 were wounded in 408 accidents taking place on Polish roads during the All Saint's weekend.

 

Ireland: ‘Death is not the worst thing that can happen in road accidents’

People who sustained life-changing injuries speak at Christmas road safety campaign

The Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána have called on all road users to act responsibly and safely when using the roads throughout the Christmas and New Year period.

This year’s Christmas and New Year road safety appeal, which was made at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, focuses on those who have suffered serious injuries in road traffic collisions.

Launching the campaign, Minister for Transport Shane Ross said meeting patients who had undergone life-changing injuries was “an extremely moving experience” which he found both “tragic” and “emotional”.

Siobhán O’Brien, who was left with a life-altering brain injury 18 years ago, said: “Death is not the worst that can happen. The worst for me was surviving by acquiring a brain injury.”

According to Moyagh Murdock, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority, 3,518 road users suffered a life-altering injury between the years 2014 to 2017.