SIEM REAP and KAMPOT Provinces – May 12, 2025

On their daily commute to school, many children and youth are at risk. Road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years globally. In Cambodia, students accounted for 12% of all road fatalities in 2022. Among them, nearly 60% of road fatalities affect secondary and high school students. This represents a public health crisis that disproportionately affects young people the most.

As part of the SAFE STEPS – Road Safety program, with support from Prudence Foundation through Prudential Cambodia, a series of workshop trainings were held on the Star Ratings for Schools tool. Together with key stakeholders, AIP Foundation worked with school representatives and provincial government officials in target provinces to introduce the iRAP Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) methodology. This initiative aimed to build a solid understanding of how school safety assessments are carried out and how they can guide improvements in road infrastructure. The purpose of the workshops was also to identify and assess a school in need of safety upgrades, using SR4S data to support the selection of a site for large-scale modifications based on its specific safety needs.

Star Rating for Schools is an award-winning evidence-based programme of tools, training and support to measure, manage and communicate the risk children are exposed to on a journey to school. SR4S is informing strategic investment in infrastructure upgrades saving lives and preventing serious injuries every day. It is also empowering global and community advocacy to address the leading killer of young people world-wide – road traffic deaths.

In addition to AIP Foundation Cambodia program staff, key representatives from Prudential Cambodia, Siem Reap province, Kampot province, the Department of Education, Youth and Sports and the Department of Public Works and target schools attended the trainings.

A regional program for road safety

The SAFE STEPS – Road Safety program in Cambodia aims to mitigate risks on the road by providing students with safety equipment and road traffic education. The program encompasses a holistic approach in which education is key for safe road user behaviors, in addition to the helmet safety component of the program.

The SAFE STEPS Kids – Road Safety program is part of the SAFE STEPS KIDS program, developed by the Prudence Foundation in partnership with Cartoon Network and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC). The program aims to equip millions of children across Asia and Africa with actionable information designed to save lives and create a future generation that is well-prepared and resilient to life-threatening situations. Core to the program is a series of animations being aired across Cartoon Network channels in Asia, reaching over 35 million households.