Group photo with Préfet Vincent Berton and partners for the “Put it on!” photo competition. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT--Some of the main partners and associations involved in road safety and raising awareness of the risks on the road, held a press conference at the Collège Roche Gravée de Moho in French Quarter on Tuesday to launch photo competition “Put it on!” aimed at giving young people an incentive to wear a crash helmet on the roads.
As Préfet Vincent Berton pointed out, the non-wearing of crash helmets is the main cause of serious injury or death in two-wheeler accidents, as has been proven time and time again. Among many young people wearing a helmet is perceived as an obstacle to being recognised by their friends, he added.
However, this artistic photo competition proposes to customise helmets by giving the rider a particular personalised identity and style which will be instantly recognisable.
The initiative is being supported by National Education and Andy Amongon, representing Vice Recteur Harry Christophe, outlined the rules of the competition which is open until June 7.
The objective is to take a photo in two categories, each of which must promote road safety. Participants must be between 12 and 30 years of age and resident on the French side of the island.
The first category must represent a motorcyclist or cyclist alone. The second category is for photos of a motorcyclist with a passenger. In both categories persons in the photo must be wearing safety gear: full face helmet, gloves, closed shoes and jacket. The bike must also be in good working order.
The photographs must be sent to email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The competition closes on June 7 and a jury will judge the photos on June 9. Results of the competition and prize giving will be held on Saturday, June 17. The rules can be viewed on www.saint-barth-saint-martin.gouv.fr
To get the awareness message across, the winners of the competition will win a helmet that will be customised to their liking by a specialist company. A total of 16 persons will be rewarded: eight bikers and eight cyclists. The images must be sent in high resolution format, as they will then be used to support a road safety awareness campaign.
Among those present at the press conference were Third Vice President of the Collectivité Dominique Louisy, Head of the Collectivité’s Youth Department (Service Jeunesse) Raissa Lake, Victor Hodge from Titi Moto Association, Bruno Ravier from Sécurité Routière SXM, Miguel Mingau President of Association Moto Action du Nord (AMAN), a motor biker from Sandy Ground Mike Dorville, President of Centre Symphorien d’Insertion (CSI) in French Quarter, Marie-Paule Rousseau-Cornette, and Principal of the French Quarter Collège Leela Hanson.
CSI has already been at the forefront of promoting helmet awareness in collaboration with the Gendarmerie and other partners for several years. The eighth edition of CSI’s helmet awareness and donation comes up in June.
