Automóvil Club de Chile promotes safer school journeys

Image credit: Automóvil Club de Chile (ACCHI)

Original article published on FIA Foundation website 

The FIA School Assessment Programme, based on iRAP’s Star Ratings for School (SR4S) methodology, was launched in Chile to improve the safety of children on their way to school, under the leadership of the Automóvil Club de Chile (ACCHI), in collaboration with the National Traffic Safety Commission (Conaset) and the local government of Lo Espejo.

The “Hernán Olguín Maibeé” school in Lo Espejo was chosen to start implementing this project, which is already in the study and technical evaluation phase. A specific attention was paid to the infrastructure, vehicles’ and pedestrians’ flows at the school’s two entrances as well as the vehicles’ speeds when students arrive at school. The project’s aim is to measure, manage and communicate the risk to which children are exposed, both on their journeys and in their school environment. Based on this risk, the school is rated on a five-star scale to measure the improvements that are required in terms of road safety and the solutions that should be implemented to make the school environment a safe environment. The project will be completed by September.

ACCHI expects to scale up this initiative in other educational establishments in Chile, especially those under public administration.