Representatives of the National Traffic Safety Committee Office and the Việt Nam MotorSports Association sign a co-ordination agreement on the implementation of the #3500LIVES programme in Việt Nam. — VNS Photo Thanh Hải

“Children and young people between 5 and 29 were the first victims of road crashes in the world,” said International Automobile Federation (FIA) President Jean Todt at the event. “Therefore, you should be the first ones to embrace this cause. Becoming ambassadors of road safety shouldn’t be just a choice it should be a duty.”

“It is time to change drivers’ behaviour and to create a world where we can move safely, and in confidence, for the benefit of all,” said Todt.

Todt also highlighted Vinschool’s engagement in raising awareness on road safety by teaching them FIA’s 12 golden rules, adding that the initiative should be applied everywhere.

Deputy Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee Khuất Việt Hùng said road accidents were a common challenge of the governments and people of all countries in the world.

“Every year, road traffic accidents take more than 1.3 million lives and injure over 50 million others,” said Hùng. “Road traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 29 in Việt Nam.”

“Students are expected to be small ambassadors who will raise their voices and commitments in dealing with traffic problems, protecting their own lives and people around them,” said Hùng. “Each student will be an ambassador to remind parents and relatives about safe driving rules in an effort to build a safe transportation environment for themselves, their families and the whole community.”

Vinschool's students perform at a traffic safety education programme in Hà Nội on April 16. — VNS Photo Thanh Hải

The programme, entitled "Vinschool Small Ambassadors: Safe transportation - Saving thousands of lives", is part of the #3500LIVES traffic safety campaign, which reminds people that 3,500 people die on the road every day across the world.

Through the campaign, Vinschool wants to work with the whole society to minimise casualties from traffic accidents through education, raising awareness of students and parents when they are on the road. Vinschool will put 12 FIA safe traffic rules into its life skills education programme to raise student awareness and teach life-saving skills. The school has also created a plan to turn areas around the school into safe zones by limiting the speed of the vehicles to minimise accident risks for students.

At the event, the National Traffic Safety Committee Office and the Việt Nam MotorSports Association signed a co-ordination programme on the implementation of the #3500LIVES programme in Việt Nam during the 2019-22 period.

The programme will focus on six key activities, including the dissemination of the 12 golden rules for safe driving, providing helmets and instructing on helmet use for primary school students; providing first aid to accident victims and building pilot traffic safety communities in schools and hospitals.

Launched for the first time in 2017 by FIA, the #3500LIVES campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of traffic safety. The campaign represents FIA’s commitment to fulfill the United Nations’ goal of halving traffic accidents by 2020.

The campaign was launched in Việt Nam in March by the National Traffic Safety Committee Office and the Việt Nam MotorSports Association (VMA). — VNS