Bangkok, 15 May 2013, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has distributed 120,000 motorcycle helmets to young students in the capital, in its bid to raise the city’s safety standard.
BMA Permanent Secretary Ninnart Chalitanont yesterday presided over the handover ceremony. According to her, the campaign was initiated by BMA Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra who is concerned over the safety of young students, as the new school term has just started. Thus, the BMA has set aside the budget to purchase high quality helmets for the campaign.
115,752 helmets have been given to pre-school and elementary students, another 4,698 will be given to Bangkok’s high school students. Nongjok and Ladkrabang districts will the firsts to receive the helmets under this project, the remaining 48 districts will receive the helmets within June.
According to the Child Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center’s records, 7,836 children under 15 years old were killed in road accidents during 2000 – 2011, an average of 653 child per year. The fact that most of the deaths were caused by head injuries has prompted the BMA to come up with the safety helmet campaign, which it hopes will definitely reduce fatality rates among young students.
