BINH DINH Province, December 12, 2012 - FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company and a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation/Safe Kids Vietnam launched the Safe Kids Walk this Way handover ceremony today at My Hiep Secondary School, Phu My District, Binh Dinh Province. This activity, as part of an expansion plan of the Walk this Way program to Central Vietnam, aims to reduce traffic accidents at schools located along National Highway 1A, through pedestrian safety education and environmental modifications.
At the ceremony, AIP Foundation and FedEx handed over 3,472 reflective jackets and helmets to all students of My Hiep 1, My Hiep 2, My Phong, and My Chau 1 primary schools, as well as My Hiep and Phu My secondary schools. In addition, FedEx has also distributed 16,000 pedestrian and bicyclist safety booklets to all students of 30 primary schools and two secondary schools in Binh Dinh province.
A number of infrastructure and signage improvements have been introduced as well, including the installation of warning traffic lights and zebra crossings in front of the six target schools to make it safer for students to walk in the street.
“Students studying at schools located along National Highway 1A are exposed to extremely high risks for traffic accidents. The situation in Central Vietnam demands prompt action to educate children on road safety and to improve the traffic environment, empowering students to be smarter road users with safer ways to school,” said Nguyen Dieu Nuong, National Program Manager of AIP Foundation/Safe Kids Vietnam.
“FedEx is very pleased to extend our sponsorship to Walk this Way program with its expansion to Central Vietnam. This project highlights our continued commitment to help achieve greater traffic safety for pedestrians in Vietnam, especially along National Highway 1A, a particularly high risk area for traffic accident fatalities. Through improving children’s pedestrian safety knowledge, providing necessary equipment, and modifying the environment around these children’s schools, we hope to create a sustainable and safe environment for students who walk to and from school every day,” said Nguyen Duy Binh, Senior Country Manager Indochina, head representative of FedEx Vietnam.
As part of its commitment to supporting the communities in which it works, FedEx has supported the Walk this Way campaign with Safe Kids in Vietnam since December 2009. In 2010, a Traffic Safety Park and ‘Click on Safety’ -e-learning program were launched at Quang Bien Primary school, Trang Bom District, Dong Nai Province with more than 1,000 students, teachers, and representatives from other primary schools in Trang Bom District. In October 2011, FedEx and AIP Foundation expanded the Walk this Way program to Northern Vietnam by introducing Click on Safety e-Learning program at Xuan Trung Primary School, Nam Dinh province.