Sweden nurtures road safety for children in Vietnam

THE HANOI TIMES — Road safety begins with very simple choices – a message highlighted by Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Johan Ndisi at the Traffic Safety 2025 campaign themed “Safe helmets, safe children,” held on December 17 at Trung Yen Primary School in Hanoi.

The ambassador said at the campaign jointly organized by the Embassy of Sweden, Protec, the Yen Hoa Ward People’s Committee and Trung Yen Primary School, with a focus on presenting 400 standard-certified helmets to pupils.

The campaign and presenting helmets matter a lot in the context that motorbikes remain the primary means of transport for most Vietnamese families.

Handling helmets directly to children is seen as a simple but effective measure to protect young lives on every journey, Ambassador Ndisi told The Hanoi Times.

“Road safety is a shared challenge across nations, regardless of development levels or socio-economic conditions,” the Ambassador said. Drawing on Sweden’s Vision Zero experience, he said real change is possible when responsibility is shared by the whole of society.

“Giving helmets to children is a practical action and a reminder that safety begins with very simple choices,” the Ambassador said, adding that wearing a helmet properly is not just about following the law but about respecting life and safeguarding children’s futures.

The message reflects Vision Zero – the road safety philosophy introduced by Sweden in 1997, which sets the goal of eliminating traffic-related fatalities.

Through a comprehensive approach that combines safer infrastructure, strict law enforcement and community education, Sweden has become one of the world’s safest countries for road users.

In Vietnam’s traffic conditions, proper helmet use for children is widely seen as a decisive measure to reduce deaths and serious injuries.

From a public health perspective, Dr. Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Vietnam, said traffic accidents remain among the leading causes of death for children nationwide, claiming the lives of about 2,000 children and adolescents each year.

According to the WHO, wearing a helmet correctly can reduce the risk of death by more than six times and cut the risk of traumatic brain injury by up to 74% for motorcyclists.

“Campaigns like this help parents and communities recognise that adults have a responsibility to protect children’s heads and lives on every trip,” stated Dr. Pratt.

 At the local level, Trinh Thi Dung, Chairwoman of the Yen Hoa Ward People’s Committee, said the campaign goes well beyond helmet distribution. It’s a process of building lasting habits and values, laying the groundwork for a road safety culture when families and schools lead by example.

“Children are among the most vulnerable road users, but they are also ‘seeds’ that can spread positive habits quickly if they are educated properly and supported by adults,” she said.

Speaking to The Hanoi Times, Do Thi Mai, Principal of Trung Yen Primary School, said providing helmets and road safety knowledge for students is an investment in the future. Road safety is not simply a matter of education or legal compliance, but a fundamental right of every child.

“Every traffic accident is an irreparable loss for families and society. Road safety means protecting lives, safeguarding dreams and ensuring that every student can go to school with joy and return home safely,” she emphasized.

From an educator’s standpoint, the principal said that schools must equip students not only with academic knowledge but also with essential life skills for self-protection.

Wearing a standard-certified helmet of the right size and correctly is regarded as the last line of defence for the head – the center of intelligence, awareness and a child’s future.

She said Trung Yen Primary School has committed to making the campaign a regular activity, integrating traffic law education into lessons and strengthening coordination with parents.

 Official data show that Vietnam recorded 23,517 traffic accidents in 2024, resulting in 10,850 deaths and 17,535 injuries. Although these figures declined from the previous year, traffic accidents remain a serious threat, especially to children, the most vulnerable group.

In a gesture to show its support in this field, Ambassador Johan Ndisi said the Swedish Embassy continues working closely with Vietnamese partners on practical initiatives to raise awareness and promote actions that can save children’s lives.

Cooperation with schools and families, together with technological support and new road safety policies, will help advance the shared goal of zero casualties on the roads, he stressed.

Vietnam's efforts to enhance traffic safety for children 

Vietnam has rolled out nationwide campaigns to promote helmet use among children, focusing on early education and access to standard-certified helmets to narrow the long-standing gap between adult and child helmet-wearing rates.

A key initiative is the “Wear beautiful helmets – protect us” program launched in the 2025–2026 school year by Honda Vietnam, the National Traffic Safety Committee and the Ministry of Education and Training.

The program distributes more than 1.8 million helmets to first-grade students nationwide and provides road safety education for children and parents. Similar provincial efforts, including in the central province of Nghe An, combine helmet distribution with school-based training and parental commitments.

Public health agencies have reinforced these efforts with evidence-based advocacy. Despite progress over more than a decade of campaigns involving government bodies, UNICEF and international partners, authorities stress that lasting behavior change among caregivers and communities remains crucial to protecting children on the roads.