3M Plans for School Zone Transformations to Increase Pedestrian Visibility and Road Safety
21 March 2022: To help protect the lives of most vulnerable children pedestrians, 3M is undertaking a project that increase safety and visibility in 100 school zones in 23 countries around the world by 2024. Road tr’affic accidents are the leading cause of death for children five years and older worldwide, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Underdeveloped roadways, a lack of crosswalks and poor visibility in school zones put kids at particular risk when walking and biking to and from school. The rate at which these incidents happen drastically increases within low-income countries and communities indicating a clear need for change, according to the World Health Organization.
In a statement, Dr. Dan Chen, President, 3M Transportation Safety Division, said “Over the next two years, we will work with NGOs and government agencies to improve safety in school zones and develop a scalable model for high-risk and under-resourced communities to create safer roads for all children.”
According to him, the first set of school zone transformations to happen this year in the U.S. will kick off during National Distracted Drivers Awareness Month in April. 3M will be working in the city of Nashville, Tenn., bringing together community leaders, teachers and students to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted motorist behavior in school zones.
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.
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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