Association of Families of Road Traffic Victims
STATUTE
Art. 1
The Association of families of Road traffic Victims (further: Association) is a voluntary organisation across the Republic of Croatia (further: RC). The primary aim of the association is to protect the fundamental human right of a right to life (article 21, en. 1 of Croatian law), and to raise and improve current traffic issues in RC with a view to:
- Legislate for maximum sentencing of those who commit traffic offences (especially repeatedly) with tragic consequences.
- Imposing of the maximum sentence for such offences, by the judicial powers and to accelerate processing without the right to be postponed in accordance to the law of RC.
- Toughening of the driving test and for the test to be monitored at state level
- Improving road traffic conditions and traffic in general
- Educate the youth about dangers of driving as a step towards prevention and improvement of road culture
- Raise the issue of traffic as an important issue for society as a whole
- Supporting and helping the victims and their families, in a non profit way
The association is impartial, voluntary and non-governmental. It consists of families of road traffic victims, volunteers, supporters and honourable members.
The association is run according to the rules established by this statute.
The legal status of the Association is registered with the Organisations registry within the County Office Administration Bureau.
The Association is free to join and collaborate with similar associations in RC and abroad.
Art. 2
Name of the association: Families of Road Traffic Victims
Head office: Pula, Stigliceva 28, c/o Hrvatski auto klub Pula-Rovinj.
The Association marks the world road traffic victim remembrance day on the 3rd Sunday in November, as the day of the association.
The association has a stamp which is 4cm in diameter with the name of the association clearly written in Croatian together with its it’s logo
Art. 4The logo represents a road in the shape of a heart.
Art. 5
The association is active in the region of Istria and in the Republic of Croatia. The association can start affiliated organisations in all regions of Croatia.
Art. 6
The association is represented by the president and deputy president who are entitled delegate tasks to other members of the association. If the president is for any reason unavailable the association is represented by the deputy.
Art.7
The main aims are:
- to protect the most fundamental human right – the right to life
- to campaign on improving of road safety
- to fight for an improvement of traffic culture as a whole and to encourage greater competence within state institutions, in order to:
- legislate for maxim sentencing for serious (esp.repeated) traffic offences which result in tragic consequences
- implement the maximum sentence by the courts for such offences, and to accelerate the processing of such cases without the right to be postponed, all in accordance with the laws of RC.
- toughen the driving test and to call for monitoring the test at state level
- improving road traffic conditions and traffic in general
- educate the youth about the dangers of driving as a step towards prevention and improvement of road culture
- to raise public and media awareness of traffic problems as an important issue for society as a whole
- to give legal and psychological support and to help the victims and their families in a non- profit way
Art. 8
The association is continually reviewing traffic issues, looking at the overall traffic situation from the population’s point of view (especially pedestrians and cyclists). The Association campaigns to influence both public and political opinion and legislators.
The association wants to highlight inadequacies such as ‘black spots’, bad road signage etc. We suggest improving traffic signalling and the solving of traffic problems by the use of traffic calming measures in the cities, as well more pedestrian areas and cycle lanes etc.
The association collaborates with experts in order to influence policy makers (Government, Parliament, and Ministries) by writing open letters, suggesting changes in road safety law, criminal law and prosecution law.
The intentions of the association are:
- that the law demands maxim sentencing for grievous (esp. repeated) traffic offences with tragic consequences to be implemented. Repeatedly offending drivers must have their licence taken away immediately and permanently and their vehicles confiscated because a vehicle in their hands becomes a lethal weapon. The possibility of a caution, lowering of a sentence, or granting of a reprieve should not be allowed. Particular criteria should be applied to young offenders and drink/ drug drivers.
The association will advocate:
- Imposition of maximum sentences by the official authorities for those offences; faster processing of cases in accordance to the laws of RC, without delay. Speeding offences, drink/drug driving and not obeying traffic signs should be treated as intent and not negligence. Fines should be progressive and in accordance with the offender’s income.
- promotion of improving the road traffic culture by collaborating with driving schools and responsible institutions as a result of:
- Toughening the conditions for passing driving tests, with more practice based
learning, simulation of traffic accidents etc. Tougher public and state control of these
tests, by monitoring statistics of driving licence issuers in relation to accidents.
- Education and awareness of the dangers of driving, particularly in regard to the young
- in driving schools and media (artistic actions, clips) in order to prevent and
improve road traffic culture to stress the importance of people over and above the
interests of the motor industry.
- Promotion of traffic issues as something that is important for the whole of society. Acting publicly regarding creating a culture of life and happiness as opposed to death and unhappiness due to motorization.
- Collaboration with the experts in order to provide a free legal and psychological help and
support to victims and their families.
VII. PUBLIC WORK
Art. 9
The work of the association is public. Transparency is assured and implemented by regularly keeping all members notified and informed via the association’s meetings and via the media.
Art. 10
Anyone can become a member insofar they accept the aims and Statute of the Association. When a prospective member is accepted by the board of directors they sign an access form and pay an annual fee .As a point of principle, membership is not granted to persons who have caused a traffic accident by grievously breaking the traffic laws.
IX. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
Art. 11
Members of Association have following the rights and obligations:
to take part in the work of association; to elect and stand to be elected to the association’s bodies; to stand by the association’s statute and decisions; to implement the decisions and conclusions of the Association’s bodies; to be regularly informed about the work of the Association.
Art 12.
Membership terminates by agreement, by breaking the statute rules, by written declaration of terminating of membership, and any other reason covered by organisational law.
Art 13.
Permanent bodies of the Association are: Association Assembly, Board of Directors, President of Association, Secretary and supervisory board.
ASSOCIATION ASSEMBLY
Art 14.
The highest body of the association is the Association Assembly consisting of all members of the association. Assembly is regular and/or extraordinary. A regular assembly is called at least once a year by the president. The decision to call the assembly needs to include an agenda and time and place of the assembly.
An extraordinary assembly is called by either the president or the members of Supervisory board and can also be called for by a request from at least a fifth of the members of the association. If the president or the supervisory board don’t call for a meeting in 10 days after receiving a request for an assembly, the proposer is entitled to call it for.
The association assembly can only make binding decisions if there are at least half of the association’s members present. All the decisions are voted for by open majority vote.
During the assembly minutes are taken. The assembly is led by the president.
Activities during regular assembly meetings include:
laying down of the association’s work program, establishing, changing and amending of the Statute; determining the program and financial plan for the following year; passing the work and financial report of the year before; choosing and replacing the president and other bodies; discussing the reports from the president and other bodies; deciding on the membership fee; all other matters and decisions connected with the work and activities of the association.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Art.15
Board of directors consists of the president and deputy presidents (presidents of affiliate organisations), and is chosen by the Assembly, with a four year mandate.
The board of directors proposes the statute, the financial plan and reports to the Assembly about their work. The board also oversees the Association’s finances and assets. The board of directors meetings are held in accordance with the Organisation’s law.
PRESIDENT
Art. 16
The president ensures the proper and lawful activity of the Association. He/she is elected annually by the assembly. The president can be elected for a number of consecutive years.
The president’s duties and responsibilities include: calling the assembly; implementing the assembly’s decisions, arranging and presenting the program of the Association to the public; reporting about their work to the assembly; notifying members about meetings, events and news within the association; performing various tasks in the name of the association.
Art 17.
Depending on the workload of the association the president may appoint a member from the association as an aide.
SECRETARY
Art.18
The secretary is chosen and appointed by the Assembly with a four year mandate. The secretary can be appointed consecutively. The secretary carries out the administrative and financial affairs of the Association.
SUPERVISORY BOARD
Art. 19
The supervisory board consists of 3 members chosen by Association assembly with a 4 year mandate. The members of Supervisory board can be appointed consecutively. The president and the members of board of directors can not be appointed to the Supervisory board.
A Supervisory board conference is called at least once a year. The Supervisory board makes decisions by open majority vote. Members of the Supervisory board report to the association assembly.
Supervisory board duties are:
to inspect and oversee the assets and financial matters of the association; to ensure that the of rules and regulations of the statute are applied; to oversee the work of president; to report to the association assembly- the report sets out the findings and advises on the measures to be taken.
XI. ASSOCIATION ASSETS
Art. 20
The Association’s assets consist of money, movable property and other assets that the association has gained in accordance with the law and this statute.
The Association raises assets by membership fees, voluntary contributions and other contributions in accordance to the law.
The assets are handled by the association’s bodies in the most effective way and with the interest of the association’s aims.
Art. 21
The Association keeps account books and constructs financial reports in accordance to the rules and regulations of non profit organisations.
Each affiliate organisation runs its independent financial buisness in solidarity with others.
Art. 22
Should a profit be made through its activities, the association must use the profit solely for the purpose of implementing the aims of the association set out in this statute.
XII. TERMINATION OF ASOCIATION
Art. 23
The Association can be terminated in accordance with an assembly decision carried by a 2/3rds-majority vote of all of the members. Any other scenario is covered by organisational law.
In the case of termination, the assembly will decide on the distribution of Association assets.
In the case of termination of an affiliated organisation, the assets belong to the Association.
XIII. TRANSITIVE AND FINALISING RULES
Art. 24
The Statute is the fundamental and official document of Association and all future documents need to be in accordance with the rules of the statute.
Any changes and amendments to the statute are registered and implemented by the Association Assembly.
Art. 25
The statute was validated at the founding assembly when the majority of present members openly vote to accept it. The statute is signed by the president of the Association acting as an authorised representative.
In Pula, 26th October 2007
President:
Teodora Beletiæ, prof.
