Saturday, 11 March 2023 16:29

ASES held the First Forum on Road Safety and Vehicle Insurance

Written by Evelyn Alas

The Asociación Salvadoreña de Empresas de Seguros (ASES) held today the first "Road Safety and Vehicle Insurance Forum". The event took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, in San Salvador, and gathered different members of the insurance industry of the country, representatives of the government of the Republic and members of the civil society.

The purpose of the forum was to inform and discuss different international practices to improve or promote road safety in our country, a point that is especially challenging with a vehicle fleet that grows significantly every year.

The forum was attended by Mr. Álvaro Gómez, from the Ibero-American Road Safety Program / OISEVI; and Mr. Ricardo Gaviria, from the IDB/FIA Road Mobility Program; renowned international experts who shared their knowledge on road safety.

Álvaro Gómez highlighted the importance of the forum, stating that it is a space where civil society and the government and administrations come into contact, and where "the commitment of both parties is shown".

 "Victims of traffic accidents are avoidable and if governments, administrations and civil society work together, and a commitment is built and governments do what they have to do, victims will be reduced", explained Gómez, who presented the paper "Building a lasting commitment for road safety".

Ricardo Gaviria, who was in charge of the presentation "Vehicle fleet and mandatory insurance LATAM 2021", indicated that insurance has "a lively role in the process of integral protection of risks associated with road safety".

"The insurance contract has the potential to contribute to road safety on many fronts, and even when it generates a cost for the vehicle owner, the risk management process is more virtuous, allowing the payment of claims to strengthen the health capacity of the countries and provide the care required by the victims at the time they need it most", he said.

The panel "Road safety, a challenge for everyone" was also held, with the participation of Claudia Vélez, executive director of ASES; Vanessa Rubio, from MOVES; and Alfredo Alvayero, general director of transit of the Vice-Ministry of Transportation.

"We have to stop being part of the problem and be part of the solution. For this it is important to respect the regulations", said Mr. Alvayero, who added that 95% of road accidents in the country are caused by human factors.

Vanessa Rubio stated that "it is necessary to rethink mobility" in the country and that this process begins "with oneself". Therefore, she highlighted the need to "make a difference one by one", for which road safety education and knowledge of the rules become important.

"As the insurance industry we recognize that working for road safety is everyone's job, and as a sector we join the efforts that can be made in this area. ASES believes it is important to raise awareness regarding road safety. This is how this event was born, to have international experiences of the practices carried out in other countries to reduce road accidents", explained Claudia Vélez, executive director of ASES.  

According to a study conducted by ASES at the end of 2022, only 15% of the population has some type of private insurance, including motor insurance. A fact that is cause for reflection, since insurance is precisely a protection instrument that allows people to overcome the personal and material difficulties that may result from a road accident.

 

Translated by: A.M