AA Vietnam and AIP Foundation, in collaboration with the Hanoi Traffic Safety Committee, have launched a new child car seat initiative at Nam Tu Liem school in Hanoi. The launch event was held during the 5th United Nations Global Road Safety Week, attended by 800 primary school students and teachers.

Public awareness campaigns and education will be used to promote car seats and seatbelt use for children, specifically targeting the behavior and attitudes of parents. The initiative is modeled after FIA’s toolkit for child safety in cars, and will advocate for child seatbelt use and car seats to be included in Vietnamese law.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), road crashes in Vietnam cause an estimated 24,970 fatalities and more than 499,400 injuries each year. Children are particularly vulnerable: 1,900 children perish on Vietnam’s roads each year. Road crashes are the second leading cause of death for Vietnamese children between the ages of 5 and 14. The WHO reports wearing a seatbelt reduces 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 approximately 78,440 people.

Please see more photos from the launch event here.

Please read the entire press release here