Students of Nam Tu Liem School take part in the launching ceremony of the child car seat initiative

The launch event was held during the fifth United Nations Global Road Safety Week and attended by 800 primary school children and teachers.

Public awareness and education campaigns will be implemented to promote the use of car seats and seatbelts for children, specifically targeting the behaviors and attitudes of parents.

The initiative is modeled after the International Automobile Federation’s toolkit for child safety in cars, and will advocate for child seatbelt use and car safety seats to be included in Vietnamese law.

“Vietnam does not currently have laws enforcing the use of restraint systems and seatbelts for children. As more families make the shift from motorcycle to car, the Government and the public sector need to work together to address these growing safety concerns through legislative changes,” said Luu Xuan Binh, deputy chief of the secretariat of the Hanoi Traffic Safety Committee.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), road crashes in Vietnam cause an estimated 24,970 fatalities and more than 499,000 injuries a year. Children are particularly vulnerable, with 1,900 children perishing on Vietnam’s roads a year. Road crashes are the second leading cause of death for Vietnamese children between the ages of 5 and 14.

WHO reports show that using the seatbelt can reduce the risk of death among drivers and front seat occupants by 45-50% and the risk of death and serious injuries among rear seat occupants by 25%.

In addition to parent training workshops and government advocacy, AIP Foundation will implement a public awareness campaign on social media and install a series of billboards in busy traffic areas around Hanoi. The campaign will reach around 78,500 people.

“The program aligns with the theme of the fifth United Nations Global Road Safety Week: leadership for road safety,” said Hoang Na Huong, managing director of AA Vietnam. “The parents attending the training program will become champions to change society’s behavior and protect children.” SGT

Van Ly