Traffic police officers guide students of Phú Xuân Primary School in the northern province of Vĩnh Phúc to identify standard helmets under the Helmets for Kids programme. — Photo courtesy of the AIP Foundation

HCM CITY — NGO Asia Injury Prevention Foundation has introduced the Helmets for Kids programme at the Phú Xuân Primary School in Bình Xuyên District, Vĩnh Phúc Province, hoping to increase the rate of students wearing helmets.

It said in a press release on Friday that no student wears helmets when coming to the school on motorcycles with their parents.

Nguyễn Trọng Thái, chief of the National Traffic Safety Committee secretariat, said: “The issue of children not using helmets is of great concern, which highlights the need for strong collaboration with the private sector to address traffic safety issues related to children.

“The need for greater road crash prevention awareness at the Phú Xuân Primary School is of utmost importance. Students should not be on our roads without protective equipment for their developing brains.”

The Helmets for Kids programme demonstrates to students, as well as their parents, the importance of wearing a helmet whenever they are travelling on a motorcycle or bicycle, he added.

The programme gifted helmets to students and taught them injury prevention on roads through various activities and games.

Nguyễn Thảo Chi, a fifth-grader, said: “Before the programme I knew that I should wear a helmet, but my family could not afford to provide me one. I am so happy I have this helmet now, and will wear it always.”

The AIP Foundation has collaborated with the Việt Nam National Traffic Safety Committee and Ministry of Education and Training for the programme with sponsorship from the Vietnam Garment Manufacturing Company-TAL Apparel.  

Helmets for Kids was implemented for the first time in Bình Xuyên District last year at the Bá Hiến B Primary School, and resulted in 76 per cent of its students wearing helmets as against 1 per cent before the programme.

Greig Craft, founder and president of the AIP Foundation, said: “Changing the culture surrounding road safety is not always easy, but that’s why we start in the classroom by targeting children. The Helmets for Kids programme is not only about providing new helmets, it is also about teaching young children important skills which will last throughout their lifetime.” — VNS