FIA Region II clubs enhance school zone safety expertise

From November 14 to 23, FIA Region II Clubs participated in a series of four online training sessions focused on enhancing school zone safety. The training program, organized by iRAP in collaboration with AIP Foundation and supported by the FIA Foundation, aimed to equip FIA Region II Clubs with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement effective speed management and other school zone safety measures based on the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) methodology.

Representatives from FIA Clubs across Indonesia, Botswana, Taiwan (China), Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Japan, Cambodia, and the Philippines engaged in intensive discussions and workshops covering a range of critical topics related to school zone safety improvements. These topics included:

• Safety Design Solutions: Participants delved into the various infrastructure and design solutions that can be implemented to enhance the safety of school zones, including speed calming measures, road markings, and pedestrian crossings.
• Experience on Securing Funding and Implementing Countermeasures: Experts shared their insights and experiences on securing funding for school zone safety projects and effectively implementing countermeasures based on SR4S assessments.
• Cross-sector Partnership for School Zone Programmes: The importance of fostering cross-sector collaboration among government agencies, schools, community organizations, and other stakeholders was emphasized to ensure the success of school zone safety initiatives.
• Advocate to Scale Up the Impacts of the School Zone Programmes: Participants learned effective strategies for advocating to policymakers and stakeholders to scale up the impacts of school zone safety programs and achieve a wider impact.

The training sessions featured renowned speakers from organizations such as World Resources Institute (WRI), Safe System Solutions, Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, Department of Transport – Bandung City – Indonesia, Gonzalo Rodriguez Foundation, Automovil Club de Chile, iRAP and AIP Foundation. These experts shared their expertise and experiences, providing valuable insights to the participants.

As a follow-up to the training program, FIA Region II Clubs are eligible to apply for a grant of up to $30,000 to support the implementation of a safe school zone project using SR4S. Additionally, AIP Foundation and iRAP will provide on-site mentorship and support to Club members in select countries to assist them in designing and implementing their safe school zone projects.

“The four training sessions provide comprehensive capacity building to equip the Clubs with fundamentals to implement sustainable school zone projects and seek more ambitious results and impacts. I’d also like to suggest and invite you all to the grant application to continue in this journey and make the most of it in learning from AIP Foundation, iRAP and all other speakers  to have in-depth support of colleagues that have been working in this area for a longer time and provide more detailed support for you in the process. I look forward to everything that we will achieve in the Region”,  says  Rafaela Machado, FIA Foundation Programmes Manager. 

This comprehensive training program marks a significant step forward in enhancing the capacity of FIA Region II Clubs to address the critical issue of school zone safety. By equipping Clubs with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources, the initiative aims to create safer environments for children and pedestrians around schools across the region.