Who we are

About the AIP Foundation

Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP Foundation) was established to raise awareness about the social, economic and human impact of the rising number of road crashes in low- and middle-income countries.  AIP Foundation’s success is the result of programs that partner private sector, non-profit, and governmental organizations in taking direct action, especially to benefit the young in the area of road traffic safety.

Mission

Asia Injury’s mission is to reverse the trend on the rising number of traffic fatalities in developing Asian countries, starting in Vietnam, and to raise awareness of their social, economic, and human impact.

AIP Foundation’s Vision

AIP Foundation developed a new approach to reducing road accidents, calling on public-private coalitions to lead public awareness campaigns and lobby for legislative change. Since its founding as a US 501(c)(3) non-profit public organization, AIP Foundation has had the long-range vision of assisting low- and middle-income nations to curtail traffic-based disasters. Road traffic deaths and injuries take a huge economic toll on developing economies -- estimated at USD 100 billion per year. That number is on par with total bilateral overseas aid in the world that amounted to USD $103.7 billion in 2007 according to the OECD. The hundreds of thousands of yearly crashes are resulting in an epidemic of brain damage and fatality that is overwhelming public health systems and limiting development. In the next three to five years each of AIP Foundation’s target countries will face a debilitating crisis unless we act now.

AIP Foundation has tested and developed alternative approaches to road safety, starting in Vietnam. If governments by themselves are unable to reduce road crashes, AIP Foundation believes that coalitions of interested parties made up of businesses, non-profit organizations and government can make that change. Businesses can provide the resources and managerial know-how, non-profit organizations can contribute expertise and a “can do” attitude, and government partners can handle regulatory and enforcement needs. This led to the development of AIP Foundation’s Helmets for Kids program, a direct intervention that quickly reduced mortality and morbidity of children, and has been hailed as a milestone intervention for children in the developing world.

Helmets are the main means of protection for two-wheeled vehicle users. Non-use of helmets increases the risk of head injury for motorized two-wheeler riders by a factor of three.  Helmets reduce fatal and serious head injuries by as much as 80%.  In middle- and low-income countries, where two-wheeler traffic has increased rapidly, helmet-use rates are often close to zero.  If laws on helmet use are in place and enforced, compliance can be as high as 90-100%. Regardless, even where drivers wear helmets, passengers normally do not, and children in particular often are unprotected. Helmets for Kids is a proven grass roots solution.