‘HEADS UP!’ PROJECT TACKLES HELMET SAFETY IN ASEAN COUNTRIES
Initiated by FIA Member Clubs the Automobile Association of Vietnam and the AIP Foundation, with the support of the FIA Road Safety Grants Programme, FIA Region II and the FIA Foundation, the Heads Up! Project aims to raise awareness on the importance of helmet wearing and the use of high-quality helmets among young drivers and motorcycle drivers of all ages in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines. The project also intends to build capacity for participating Region II Members on quality helmet use programmes and implementation of road safety awareness campaigns.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 50% of road crashes taking place in Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam involve motorcycles or three-wheelers. While the use of motorcycles is high compared to automobile vehicles in ASEAN countries, the regulatory framework for motorcycle helmet use requires further strengthening and enforcement. Another important characteristic among ASEAN countries’ populations is their large proportion of youth (in their late teens to early 20s) – especially in Vietnam and Cambodia. This demographic is more likely to utilise motorcycles as a means of transport due to their relatively inexpensive costs. Therefore, increasing quality helmet use is a key road safety intervention in these countries.
On the awareness side, a dedicated Heads Up! website has been created (along with a Facebook page), where youth across the region and beyond can learn, exchange, and share about helmets and road safety. As part of the newly launched website, students from all universities in Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam have been invited to participate in a regional video competition on helmet safety. Applications are open until the end of April, and the winner will receive technical support to develop a professional Public Service Announcement (PSA) to join the global launch in September.
On the capacity building side, online workshops and webinars were held and will continue to be held until August, the next ones focusing on Youth Engagement in Road Safety (8 April), Quality Helmet Use and Tour of Protec Factory (20 May), Government Engagement and Advocacy Strategies (8 July) and Project Closing Workshop and Lessons Learned (18 August). An ECE 22.05 helmet donation was also made to Cambodia: half of the helmets were distributed at an event in December 2021 with the support of the Automobile Association of Cambodia, and another half will be distributed to high school students who ride two-wheelers along 2022.
Heads Up! is a signature, youth-led project that empowers university students to create innovative, regionally-relevant public awareness campaigns for their peers and general road users on the importance of helmet use and quality helmets.