With a fast-developing economy comes a sometimes complex and unregulated traffic system, which can be dangerous for children, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit organization devoted to improving road safety for children across the world.

It is the same in China. As personal vehicles, taxis and buses replace bicycles as the primary transportation modes, an increasing number of traffic accidents have followed in some fast-growing cities. And, increasingly, children are the victims.

According to a report from Safe Kids World, traffic accidents have become the second-biggest killer of children age 14 and under in China.

General Motors Corp, one of the world's leading car makers, recently partnered with the All-China Women's Federation to launch the Caring Children's Road Safety program to promote road safety education and better road conditions for children.

As a branch of the All-China Women's Federation's Caring Good Child Project, the Caring Children's Road Safety program was introduced last year and has enjoyed continuing support from General Motors (GM) China.

In the past year, the program has been implemented in Beijing, Tianjin and Qingdao of Shandong province, reaching 160,000 Chinese families.

"We launched diversified kinds of education activities to train parents and children on traffic safety, focusing on the utilization of safety belts, the dangers of drunken driving and walking safety for children," an official from the All-China Women's Federation said.

This year, the Caring Children's Road Safety program will be introduced in more cities, including Shanghai and Guangzhou, to increase the number of families involved to 300,000, organizers said.

In the next five years, the program will expand to reach 10 million children across China.

Global initiatives

"As the world's leading car maker, we have a close relationship with road safety because our business is directly related to driving and road systems every day. So the problem of traffic safety is also the most significant work for GM," said Kevin Wale, president and managing director of GM China.

"GM is also a worldwide leader in launching road safety education activities around the world," Wale said.

Since 1997, the car company has been working in partnership with Safe Kids Worldwide and the US Child Safety Organization (UNCSO) to introduce traffic safety education programs for children.

In the past 12 years, more than 1 million children have participated in the international program.

Since 1997, GM has donated 365,000 high-technology car seats for children to vehicle owners in the United States.

GM also during the past eight years has introduced its Controlling Drunk Divers program in several countries to promote a reduction in the number of traffic accidents related to drunken driving.

"Now we want to introduce our experiences in traffic safety education programs to China," Wale said.

Road safety

Wale said GM China has helped promote road safety in China since 2003, when the company partnered with Shanghai officials to introduce a road safety education program in that city.

In 2007, as part of World Road Safety Week activities led by the World Health Organization, GM China donated 2 million yuan and 10 cars to support research studies of China's changing traffic conditions.

"At GM, we believe that it is necessary for car makers to work in partnership with local officials, road system managers, nonprofit organizations and research associations to build a safer and more regulated road system for residents," Wale said.

GM China also has enlisted the help of its staff to promote road safety activities as part of GM's corporate social responsibility policies, he said.

Staff members have worked as volunteers with other organizations on education and outreach initiatives.

"Employees are a key force in our activities related to road safety education programs," Wale said.

(China Daily 09/28/2009 page10)