Car drivers using the new expressway between Shkoder and Lezhain northern Albania will be surprised at the new variant on the well-known numerous street controls. Police signal drivers to stop; but then a Malteser volunteer presents a questionnaire survey on “Safety and Traffic”.

Volunteers of the Order of Malta Albanian Malteser Relief Service “Malteser Ndihmon ne Shqiperi” well as members of the Albanian Malteser youth in cooperation with the Albanian police with support of Caritas Switzerland, are carrying out the survey, covering vehicle roadworthiness, the safe transport of children, use of seat belt which is not yet really popular in Albania, how to react to pedestrians, horses and carts as road-users.

The project will last several weeks and is the first part of a comprehensive programme to improve road safety in Albania. Besides road safety training in schools, they also plan setting up poster sites at the roadside with slogansprompting safety behind wheel.

During December, Malteser in Albania will be involved in the organisation of “Safety Training”, run in cooperation with the Albanian Ministry of Transport, the World Bank and the Swedish Security Organisation Sweroad in Shkoder.