ACM launches new awareness campaign to build youth engagement in road safety
The Automobile Club of Moldova (ACM) has partnered with the National Youth Agency and the Ministry of Education and Research of Moldova to launch a new training module and awareness campaign aimed at building youth engagement in road safety.
Globally, young people are most at risk on the roads with road traffic injury the leading cause of death among children and young people worldwide. In Moldova, teenagers and young adults are also highly exposed to road traffic crashes, accounting for high numbers of injuries and fatalities in the country.
The campaign therefore aims to help young people better understand traffic risks and adopt safe, responsible habits, becoming role models for their peers and communities.
A series of national workshops for young people aged 14 to 35 are planned nationwide in the coming weeks with the first session held at the Chișinău Municipal Youth Centre in September, marking European Mobility Week. The sessions are based on a new training module aimed at raising awareness and promoting safe behaviour among young road users – especially pedestrians, passengers, and cyclists. The aim is to encourage active involvement, giving participants the chance to engage in discussions, ask questions, share and receive answers, and explore solutions: them to become more aware of their role as road users and of the influence they can have on those around them.
Each workshop will take a Train the Trainer approach, supporting young people and giving them the resources to become advocates for safer roads. This includes access to online videos, presentations, leaflets and reflective accessories. In particular, the campaign aims to give young people a stronger voice in calling for safer roads, especially around schools and colleges.
This initiative has been developed by ACM and partners to complement ongoing work to reduce speed limits around schools to 30km/h, a key goal within Moldova’s National Road Safety Program 2025-2030. As part of their European Mobility Week activities, therefore, ACM also held a joint meeting with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development and new National Road Transport Agency to discuss the implementation of the Program and how the goal for safer school zones can be met. Bringing young people into the process could be a game changer, ensuring roads are designed and built to meet their needs and accommodate the various ways in which they travel to and from school. This approach will help protect the most vulnerable and ensure safer roads for everyone.