HO CHI MINH City, Vietnam - November 1, 2018

AIP Foundation/Safe Kids Vietnam joined millions of children, parents, and community leaders from more than 40 countries around the world this month to celebrate International Walk to School Month. This year AIP Foundation celebrated and promoted pedestrian safety through a public awareness parade in Tran Hung Dao Primary School located in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

The Pedestrian Safety Public Awareness Campaign is part of the Walk This Way program, conducted by FedEx and the AIP Foundation/Safe Kids Vietnam to increase awareness of child pedestrian safety and improve road user behaviors in Vietnam. According to the National Traffic Safety Committee, traffic accidents are the second leading cause of death and serious injury for children from infancy to 19 years old, with more than 1,900 children dying every year due to traffic accidents. Since the launch of Walk This Way in 2009, the program has reached 268, 859 students from 315 primary and secondary schools across the country, installed a 1,700-square-meter traffic safety park for primary school students in Dong Nai Province, and donated 3,471 helmets, 19,855 reflective jackets and caps, 29,885 pedestrian safety pencil cases, and 138,087 pedestrian safety books to students.

The Pedestrian Safety Public Awareness Campaign will take place from October 2018 to May 2019. This campaign aims to deliver pedestrian safety messages to parents during the parent meetings, interactive activities with parents during pick-up and drop-off hours at 37 schools.