Bollywood-style drama launched to cut Asian road crash toll

Sandwell's road safety team has commissioned an award-winning theatre company, Birmingham-based Women and Theatre, to create a new play for the area’s Asian community.

"According to the 2001 census nearly 14 per cent of Sandwell's population is of Asian origin, and last year we launched a project to raise awareness of road safety among this community," says Andrea Johnson, assistant road safety officer.

"The project threw up a number of key road safety issues that needed tackling including wearing seat belts, avoiding drink driving, using child safety seats and not having too many passengers in a car. We decided a play would be the most effective method of getting the message across, and of appealing to the different Asian communities we are targeting," Andrea Johnson adds.

Chale Ga Chale Ga is a 30-minute drama delivered mainly in Hindi, a language widely used and understood in 'Bollywood’ culture. It targets a number of key groups, including parents and older grandparents, many of whom do not speak or understand English fluently, and drivers aged 35 and over. To reinforce the messages, performances conclude with a question and answer session with the audience.

For further information contact John Billington, john_billington@sandwell.gov.uk