Johnson & Johnson distributes UN-standard helmets in Vietnam

As part of the growing legacy of the Helmets for Kids program supported by Johnson & Johnson, AIP Foundation in collaboration with the National Traffic Safety Committee and Hanoi Department of Education and Training is hosting a helmet handover ceremony and a Road Safety Day at Phung Khac Khoan - Thach That High School.

Student representatives received standardized helmets from the “Helmets For Kids” project

This year, the helmet handover is exceptional as the project piloted a new helmet model that meets the United Nations ECE 22.05 standard. Compared to the Vietnamese standard, ECE 22.05 standard helmets can absorb higher values of energy that occur during an impact.

The ECE 22.05 helmets are designed with geometries and materials with enhanced mechanical properties. The ability of the helmets to absorb more energy leads to a significant reduction of the energy transmitted to head that, if not reduced over certain values, can potentially create injuries to the rider.

Johnson & Johnson are the first AIP Foundation partner to introduce and support this initiative to improve the quality helmet use among students as part of its Helmets for Kids program. 5,000 helmets of which 2,000 are part of the ECE 22.05 pilot program, will be distributed to three target schools as part of the helmet handover ceremony and Road Safety Day this year. The helmets for this handover were produced by Protec, AIP Foundation’s social enterprise. The helmets make a life-saving difference for vulnerable students on their way to and from school in Hanoi. Wearing a quality helmet can reduce the risk of death by 42 percent and the risk of serious brain injury by 69 percent.

Phung Khac Khoan - Thach That High School is located on a provincial road that is often plagued by heavy traffic. The area outside the school exposes high risks for road crashes. The helmet-wearing rate among students is currently particularly low, as only 16 percent of students wear helmets. Most students commute to and from school by motorbikes and electric bikes daily.

“Community is at the heart of the Helmets for Kids program, focusing on how we can all make a difference to be safer on the roads. The helmet handover ceremony and the Road Safety Day at Phung Khac Khoan – Thach That High School will continue to promote community awareness of the life-saving importance of increasing young adult helmet use. It is the biggest event of the Helmets for Kids program this year,” shares Ms. Le Chi Thuy Dung, Commercial Director, Vietnam Janssen.