FIA Region II Clubs learnt about the principles of school zone safety with a training programme organised by iRAP in collaboration with AIP Foundation and supported by the FIA Foundation.

The series of four online training sessions 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 iRAP’s Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) methodology.

Representatives from FIA Clubs from 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; experience in securing funding and implementing countermeasures; cross-sector partnership for school zone programmes: and how to advocate to scale up the impacts of the school zone programmes.

The training sessions featured 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.

Rafaela Machado, FIA Foundation Programmes Manager, said: “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 look forward to everything that we will achieve in the Region.”

The 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 and to advocate policymakers for investment and mass action programmes to improve school safety at scale. 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.