As manager and then CEO of the Ferrari team, Jean Todt won 14 world championship titles, five with the legend and his close friend, Michael Schumacher. Today, as the United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt focuses on reducing road accidents. He recently visited Greece and spoke to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency (ANA).
Jean Todt participated as an official guest at the rite of graduation for refugees who actually attended road safety seminars. The express programme was organized through UNHCR in collaboration with the Panos Mylonas Road Safety Institute and the NGO “Catholic Relief Services” and the Minichequeque de Migración y Asilo. “It is vital that we check to give opportunities to refugees,” he told Ana.
In addition, the aim of its scale is to put road safety at the most sensible point on the political agenda and ensure the effective implementation of the new Global Road Safety Action Plan. With 1. 3 million people worldwide wasting their lives on the roads every year, road injuries are considered the leading cause of death among young people and other young people aged 5 to 29, and Jean Todt describes it as a “silent pandemic”. 2030.
It should be noted that Greece has reduced its road fatality rate by 54% over the past decade, faster than the EU average, and the country has been awarded the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) Road Safety Award for 2021. However, it still has the seventh highest rate of road deaths in the European Union.
Below is the full interview with ANA and Maria Kouzinopoulou:
– What is the objective of your stopover in Greece?
– There are many deaths around the world. In a way, I think it’s unfair to give governments all the duty. Every road user has a duty, pedestrians, motorcyclists, motorists have a duty. That’s why it’s smart to teach others how to drive and how to behave. And the media has a wonderful duty to educate other people. That’s why we created the United Nations #streetsforlife crusade, which we first presented in New York in July, and discussed the option of implementing the crusade in Greece.
– How can the courses boost the integration of refugees into society?
– How are you as the UN Special Envoy for Road Safety?
Talk to governments, reach out to the personal sector, and make sure [traffic accidents] don’t remain a silent pandemic. We have a mask because we are afraid, we don’t need to get inflamed with covid-19. Then we need other people to do it. Be afraid because the road is dangerous. If you don’t wear a seat belt, you may die or become disabled for the rest of your life. When you’re and driving, it’s the same, if you use your mobile phone, it’s the same. Therefore, we will have to raise awareness and explain to other people that each and every road user is vulnerable, as each and every one was due to covid-19.
– How did you get to paintings in the humanitarian field?
– Obviously, my hobby was the car and I was very successful, however, I witnessed a drama in a car accident. A lot has been done and motorsport has protected a lot. And then you realize that you can run. and on the other hand, you see the stage on the road. In car racing, you learn about car manufacturing, car electronics, road infrastructure, equipment. So, we’re employing car racing on stage. in security and I try to give something back to society. People want to give back to vaccination, they must give back certain things to make the world a better place. That’s what I’m trying to do.
– What is motorsport like?
– Car racing is detrimental as a global stage. But if you take motorsport 50 years ago, each decade has been much safer. Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. From 1994, when Ayrton Sena and Rolan Ratzenberger died in Imola, until 2022, it was one less, Jules Bianchi. And today, if he were to take a turn of fate, he would not die. You know, each and every time there’s a twist of fate, a race twist of fate, you analyze each and every and every single thing that happens so it doesn’t happen again. You probably don’t forget the terrible twist of fate in Bahrain, it was in 2020 with Romain Grosjean. If he hadn’t had the headgear, called a halo, he wouldn’t have survived. When Halo was a new introduction, everyone and everyone was against it. From now on, no driving force will drive a Formula 1 car without the halo. Don’t forget about the car bursting into flames. Today the car would not explode in the chimney because we are informed about it. So each and every time there’s a twist of fate, we’re told about it in the lab and that’s what we have to do along the way. But of course it’s less difficult to do that in Norway or Switzerland than it is to do it in Nepal or Bangladesh or Vietnam.
– What are the highlights of this impressive total race for you, from racing co-driver to Ferrari director and CEO, then FIA president and now UN special envoy?
– Life is a bankruptcy for both one and both. You have a childhood, you have a university, you have a career or you get married, you have children. We all have other bankruptcies. Of course, I don’t forget about my two bankruptcies. By the way, I am preparing an ebook that will be the story of my life through bankruptcies. Sometimes you don’t forget more when it was complicated than when it was easy. Life has obstacles. We don’t forget the stumbles and it’s harder. But what is very important is that you are informed of both of what is happening and take it into account. And you know it’s your hobby because you’re learning about both. one and both days. My motivation is to be informed.
– You have participated in the afterlife as a co-driver in the Acropolis Rally. What do you get out of this participation?
I think the first time I arrived here in Greece was around the year 1968-1969. So many things have replaced. Sometimes we have the nostalgia that it was better. It was another because times are replaced and now, if you have to have more about things, it has to be another. Years ago there were no speed limits on roads and highways. Now, that may sound boring, but it’s safer. On the way back, I don’t forget the Acropolis Rally, we crossed all of Greece. It was one of the toughest rallies. But it was an adventure. And Greece is such a lovely country. You have so many beautiful roads, even if they are difficult. I mean, I love Greece.
THE SOURCE; ANA-MPA