HO CHI MINH City, Vietnam - February 28, 2019

In collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Safety Committee, AIP Foundation hosted a review meeting of the results of school zone modifications done at four Walk This Way program schools.AIP Foundation conducted modification assessments via iRAP’s Star Ratings For Schools app which helps rate the risks and safety of roads on a 1-star (least safe) to 5-star (safest) scale. Based on post-modification results, the safety rating of all four schools increased due to their star ratings increasing across the board.

At the review meeting, representatives from the four program schools; the Bureau of Education and Training Districts 1, 5, and 6; the Bureau of Urban Management of Districts 1, 5, and 6; the Urban Traffic Management Area 1; and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transportation shared their feedback on the Walk This Way program and the school zone modifications. AIP Foundation shared a timeline of the modification process as well as before and after images and conditions of each of the four pilot schools with SR4S results.

Based on feedback from each of the schools and from local authorities, AIP Foundation found that one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce speed in school zones is to place visible “SLOW DOWN” markings on roads, which is easily replicable and cost effective. Other strategies to reduce school zone speed that participants found effective are bigger school zone signs, raised crosswalks, refuge islands, and yellow warning lights.

All school zone modification elements will be handed over to and maintained by Urban Traffic Management Area 1. With the positive SR4S results and feedback from stakeholders, AIP Foundation will advocate to replicate these modifications at the 33 other program schools of Walk This Way with support from the government.