AIP Foundation scales up success of school zone upgrades in HCMC and Pleiku City

Following on from the success of the four school zones upgraded in Ho Chi Minh City as part of the Walk This Way programme, and the two school zones improved in Pleiku City through the Slow Zones, Safe Zones programme, both supported by SR4S, the AIP Foundation is now scaling up the impacts in both cities.

In HCMC, AIP Foundation is working with the government to upgrade 17 more school zones under the Walk This Way programme, supported by Safe Kids Worldwide and FedEx. All schools are currently undergoing infrastructural modifications and will be re-assessed via SR4S after completion of upgrades.

Slow Zones, Safe Zones constructed tailored, comprehensive school zone safety modifications including speed bumps, road markings, speed reduction signs, and sidewalks, supported by evidence-based solutions such as the SR4S.The programme was supported by Fondation Botnar, the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), Nissan Motor Corporation, Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), and Kova Paint Company.

In partnership with the local government in Gia Lai Province, AIP Foundation held a closing ceremony to share the Slow Zones, Safe Zones programme’s first phase results. Attendees included representatives from the National Traffic Safety Committee, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Education and Training, representatives of Gia Lai provincial government, and school administrators and parents from Pleiku City.

At the end of the event, AIP Foundation and the Gia Lai Traffic Safety Committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the programme’s second phase, and leaders expressed their support and commitment for the continued partnership.

The second phase of Slow Zones, Safe Zones, will take place between July 2020-March 2022, building upon the program’s commitment to educating children and community members of the dangers of speeding, as well as focus on legislative change by increasing collaboration with local government and police enforcement, and infrastructure assessments to guide upgrades in 26 schools in Pleiku. Through community input and government support, Slow Zones, Safe Zones will advocate for policy change to establish a first-ever legal school zone definition for Pleiku City, which can serve as a sustainable model and framework of safety standards for other school zones in Vietnam.

Image credit: AIP Foundation