Yellow May is a worldwide campaign, which began in 2010, through a resolution of the World Health Organization (WHO) that defined the period between 2011 and 2020 as the decade of actions for traffic safety.
The objective of this movement is to make civil society, public administrations and various social entities aware of the importance of paying attention to the collective rules necessary for good coexistence and the reduction of the number of deaths in traffic.
This is because, in 2009, the WHO accounted for approximately 1.3 million deaths from traffic accidents in 178 countries, and estimated a jump of 60 million more deaths in 2020, growing to 2.4 in the following decade in 2030 .
Last year, during the World Conference on Road Safety, in Sweden, the United Nations (UN) and the WHO closed the first period of the campaign and proposed the 2nd decade of action with the same objective of halving the total number of traffic deaths.
The color yellow was chosen for its representation of signaling and warning in traffic.
Yellow May in Brazil
Here in Brazil, the Yellow May campaign began in 2014 as an action between public authorities, private initiative and civil society in order to add to the discussion that the WHO had already been working on in recent years.
Despite the initiative, the average number of deaths from traffic in Brazil still has high numbers, reaching 30,000 lives lost per year, registering around 80 daily deaths as a result of inattention, disrespect and violence, even during the new Coronavirus pandemic, according to data published by Portal do Trânsito .
In 2021, the theme of the campaign is Respect and Responsibility: practice in traffic , defined by the National Road Safety Observatory (ONSV) raising a reflection on empathy and awareness in the face of urban and road traffic.
With this, it is possible to draw people’s attention, democratize the discussion about impatience and intolerance in traffic, in addition to humanizing the relationships that take place in this environment.
Among the actions for this year’s campaign is encouraging the use of footbridges, elevated lanes and crosswalks, and warning drivers about signs and care for vulnerable people in traffic (pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists).
6 tips to contribute to Yellow May
For the effectiveness of the action aimed at reducing deaths and violence in traffic, everyone needs to contribute. Check out the following 6 tips for you to do your part:
- Pay attention , remember that there are other people sharing and transiting through the same space as you;
- Respect traffic rules , after all they exist to guarantee safety and establish a healthy relationship between all people;
- Do not drive under the influence of illicit drugs and hallucinogens, keep your conscience and attention in traffic, avoid problems, even more those that may be irreversible;
- Do not use your cell phone in traffic, this applies both to those who are driving and to those who are walking down the street;
- Maintain your vehicle, ensure your safety and that of others;
- Respect other people, no matter how hectic your daily life is, try to remain calm, responsible and empathetic in traffic.
Check out everything about the campaign on the Maio Amarelo website .
