In a bid to protect children from road accident deaths, 3M announced its commitment to increase safety and visibility in 100 school zones in 23 countries around the world by 2024.
A press release from the American multinational company stated that the 25 school zones will be spread across cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Chennai in India.
Ramesh Ramadurai, Vice President and Managing Director, 3M India, noted that most fatal crashes occur during school peak hours.
“Creating awareness among government stakeholders about the importance of prioritising child safety and providing them with the knowledge and tools to achieve the same will help in creating a safe and accessible city for our children,” he added.
It must be noted that an estimated 472 million children under the age of 18 years live in India, and 27% of this child population is concentrated in urban areas.
By 2030, it is estimated that 40% of the total population will live in urban areas, the company stated.
With this, cities will become home to an increasing number of children in the upcoming decade, and therefore, the immense need to build child-friendly cities which can provide a safe and secure environment needed for the growth and well-being of children cannot be overlooked, the company added.
Underdeveloped roadways, a lack of crosswalks and poor visibility in school zones put the youngest pedestrians at particular risk when walking and biking to and from school, the release added.
Dr Dan Chen, President, 3M Transportation Safety Division, said, “Over the next two years, we will work with NGOs and government agencies to improve safety in school zones and develop a scalable model for high-risk and under-resourced communities to create safer roads for all children.”