How to support families bereaved by a road accident? The question arises in Geneva after the tragic death of three young people on motorbikes in less than a week last month. Some bereaved families also suggest strengthening prevention in schools.
For the Gaulin family of Geneva, the fight began four years ago, when Denis died in a Motorcycle accident at the age of 18. Destitute, his parents deplored the lack of psychological follow-up, with the exception of three sessions offered by the police. To request better monitoring from the police and authorities, they therefore created l’association DG.
“There was no structure in place to help the parents. We had the police psychologist, everything went well, she was very good. But then, there was no more follow-up. C “This is what we want to avoid for other parents”, explains Tuesday in La Matinale Didier Gaulin.
Need for transparency on autopsies
The association offers listening, legal advice and support to families, while campaigning for better information for parents on autopsy and organ removal procedures after a road accident. Because during a road accident, the organs must be removed and analyzed.
“We must clarify the process and explain to the parents the process: where the body is going, what happens to it, what we will do with it, and when they will be able to recover it. The autopsy is announced, that is clear, but we ask for more transparency on this subject”, underlines Denis’ mother Maria Gaulin.
Police say parents routinely receive official documents to inform them. However, several families believe they did not receive enough information, and some were even unaware that the organs had been removed. They also consider prevention insufficient. The DG association plans to invest in raising awareness among young bikers, particularly in public schools and communities.
The impact of personal stories on adolescents
Some bereaved families believe that it is necessary to witness directly in schools to the adolescents concerned. For this purpose, the DG association has joined forces with the RoadCross foundation.
These testimonies have proven themselves, believes Julia Litzen, prevention manager for French-speaking Switzerland at RoadCross. Because young people are particularly sensitive to personal testimonies, which they often encounter on social networks. “Hearing these stories captures their attention. We have found that personal testimonies touch and make you think,” she adds.
Radio subject: Charlotte Frossard
Adaptation web: Miroslav Mares
