Did you know that road traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for children five years and older worldwide? To help protect the lives of our most vulnerable pedestrians—children—3M announced today its commitment to increase safety and visibility in 100 school zones in 23 countries—including the Philippines and ten other countries in Asia—by 2024.
As part of its ongoing commitment to road and transportation safety, 3M commissioned third-party independent research in 11 countries back in 2021 to identify the top concerns of adults relative to getting to and from home safely, as well as their views on the current state of transportation safety in their communities.
In the Philippines, over 65,000 road accidents were recorded in Metro Manila in 2020, averaging 178 road-crash incidents per day.
Improving school zone safety
3M has been working in communities around the world to help make roads safer for all, with the mission of helping bring families home safely. From this year to 2024, 3M aims to amplify its commitment to keeping roads safe with its school zone transformations.
Underdeveloped roadways, a lack of crosswalks, and poor visibility in school zones put young pedestrians at particular risk when walking and biking to and from school. 3M recognizes the urgency in addressing these dangers and the need for safer school zones.
“In addition to continuing our advocacy work for improving road safety standards, we at 3M Philippines are committed to helping schools across the country become more secure for their students by keeping the roads around them safe,” said Reggie Pulumbarit, 3M Philippines Country Leader.
“We are currently partnering with several local schools and institutions to support our mission to advance safety in school zones and road systems in order to keep our children safe, and their education secure,” he added.
Community collaboration
For more than eight decades, 3M’s Transportation Safety Division has had the mission to advance transportation infrastructure and mobility globally. The installation of high-performance road materials and technologies, like Diamond Grade Reflective Sheeting for school zone signage and Pavement Marking Tape to help improve reflectivity and visibility for motorists and pedestrians, have helped families return home safely.
And while technology and innovation are necessary steps to create safer road conditions, 3M continues to collaborate and work with communities, civic and government leaders, policymakers, NGOs, and other organizations to help lead change and create safer roadway systems globally.
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