The campaign, which is co-financed by the Danish Embassy, the Asian Development Bank, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the World Bank, aims to reduce the number of traffic accidents by encouraging bike and motorbike users to wear helmets while hitting the road.

According to statistics, every day traffic accidents claim 35 lives in Vietnam and the number of road users suffering from cerebral injuries is almost triple the figure. Motorbike accidents represent 95 percent of traffic accidents in the country, but only three percent of motorbike drivers wear helmets.

The first phase of the campaign will begin in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on April 23 which marks the start of the UN Global Safety Week and is expected to last three months. The campaign will be then expanded to other localities across the country.

Diverse communications activities will be carried out including the festive day “Helmets for Kids”, two outdoor performances in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City for young people, communications programmes on television and the Internet and posters put up in public places, on buses and at bus stations.