Film star Michelle Yeoh at the press conference in Hanoi.

Nhan Dan Online- International celebrity Michelle Yeoh has come to Vietnam as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Make Roads Safe Campaign to call for urgent action to get children wearing helmets on motorcycles in Vietnam.

At a press conference held in Hanoi this morning held by the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, the National Traffic Safety Committee

and the FIA Foundation, Michelle Yeoh said “It is very troubling to see so many children in Hanoi riding on motorcycles without helmets.  Parents must act right now to put Government certified helmets on their children.”

Michelle Yeoh praised Vietnam for successfully introducing helmet legislation for adults but spoke of her shock at seeing so few children being protected.  “Where is the logic in requiring adults to wear crash helmets for their own safety but not the children? Adults must protect their children the way they protect themselves. We need to protect our future, we need to protect our children,” she said.

AIPF President Greig Craft described how parents throughout the country were losing children because of a lack of helmets while their parents, who do wear helmets, survive.

 “It must be changed and the simple solution is for Resolution 32 to be clarified to state that all children under age 14 must wear a helmet when on a motorbike, and the driver will bear the fine. The police must strictly enforce this, in combination with the Campaign’s efforts to educate parents and caregivers,” Craft explained.

Michelle Yeoh “performs” how to wear the helmet after being requested by reporters

Michelle Yeoh is visiting Vietnam from March 15-19 under the invitation of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation. During her visit, Michelle has filmed a public service announcement for Helmets for Kids, participated in a Helmets for Kids school ceremony, and visited victims of traffic accidents. She is also making a road safety documentary to be shown internationally. Michelle will be reporting on the great progress made in improving road safety in Vietnam at the United Nations in New York during a key debate on global road safety on March 31.

This is under the one year long National Helmet Wearing Campaign, aimed at promoting helmet use among motorcycle users in Vietnam. The campaign, sponsored by the Vietnam Helmet Wearing Coalition, including three-phases with a funding of US $1.3 million.  Phase III of the campaign, now underway, is focused on improving the low helmet usage rates among Vietnam’s children.

By Dieu Thuy