In Cambodia, a significant portion of road crash fatalities, around 12%, are students. Among them, nearly 50% are secondary and high school students, as reported in the RCVIS Annual Report 2019. These students are particularly vulnerable as they are still learning to ride and often engage in risky behaviors like not wearing helmets.
To address this issue and reduce fatalities, Prudential has announced its partnership with the nonprofit organization AIP Foundation to bring the Safe Steps program to Cambodia. Safe Steps is an international education campaign initiated by Prudence Foundation, the charitable arm of Prudential, in collaboration with the International Federation of the Red Cross and National Geographic. AIP Foundation, known for its expertise in road safety, has been selected as the implementation partner due to its proven approach.
The Safe Steps program focuses on comprehensive road safety measures, including educating students and parents, enhancing teachers' capacity, distributing high-quality helmets, modifying school zones, and raising community awareness. It has already shown positive results in Southeast Asian countries where it has been implemented.
The launch ceremony was attended by H.E. Min Meanvy, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Secretary-General of the National Road Safety Committee, who expressed enthusiasm for the program's implementation. AIP Foundation's CEO, Mirjam Sidik, emphasized the importance of human-centric mobility and the shared vision of Prudential Cambodia and AIP Foundation in making roads safer.
Prudential sees it as their responsibility to contribute to safer roads, especially for young adults, and the Safe Steps program aligns with this goal. The funds for the program are provided by Prudence Foundation, which aims to support communities in Asia and Africa in creating safer roads and reducing fatalities.