'Walk this way' promotes child pedestrian safety

In their aim to prevent unintentional injury to children, Safe Kids Philippines and FedEx Express has launched the "Walk this Way" program in Cebu to educate the public on child pedestrian safety.

Walk this Way will be piloted in 10 of Cebu's schools in the city.

The campaign brings together volunteers, parents and educators to teach safe pedestrian behavior, increase motorist awareness of child pedestrian safety and provide long term environmental improvements in school zones and neighborhoods.

Safe Kids Philippines president, Dr. Raffy Consunji, said that in the recent pediatric emergency room survey that they have conducted in conjunction with the Philippine College of Surgeons in the cities of Pasay, Parañaque and Olongapo, road traffic related incidents are the leading cause of unintentional injuries to children.

"Data show us that it is possible to prevent majority of childhood injuries through safe pedestrian behavior and motorist awareness," Consunji said.

He added that in the recent walkability check that they conducted in one of the city's schools, 86 percent of the children walk to and from school wherein 67 percent of the students walk without any adult companion. Forty-two percent of them are six-year olds and that one in every four children gets hit by a vehicle or has encountered road accidents.

With this campaign, volunteers from Safe Kids Philippines and FedEx conduct classroom discussions on pedestrian safety, paint cross walks and carry out walkability checks in school zones.

Walkability checks are conducted in order to identify pedestrian hazards found along routes children usually take to school. Safe Kids and FedEx will try to identify the "hotspot" areas in the city where children usually encounter accidents. A school-based task force would address problem areas that would be revealed after the checks. The task force will implement an action plan to improve the walking environment and enforce existing traffic laws and regulations.

Clifton Chua, FedEx managing director in the Philippines, Thailand and Indochina, said that unsafe walking conditions are grave concerns.

"That is why FedEx is proud to be able to work with Safe Kids to bring the number of child pedestrian injuries down in Cebu," Chua said. - Jasmin R. Uy