Road Safety Education for Schools
Introduction
The modern road environment is dangerous for children. They need
to acquire the skills to help them cope with it. As they grow older
they will make various transport choices – as pedestrians,
cyclists, public transport users and young riders and drivers.
The transport they use and the way they use it will affect the
future road environment and the level of danger it contains.
Children therefore need to learn both how to cope with danger and
how the transport choices they make affect the safety of
others.
Bath & North East Somerset Council offers a comprehensive
road safety education service to all schools.
Pre-school
Parents bear the primary responsibility for teaching road skills
to their children. The road safety service offers information and
advice to parents who want to know how to train their children.
Resources and advice are also available to pre-school staff to help
them introduce children to the basic concepts of road
behaviour.
Primary Schools
Not only is road safety an important life skill, it is also a
topic that relates to many areas of the national curriculum –
particularly science, geography and personal, social and health
education. The road safety team can supply and advise on many
resources to fit topic areas and national curriculum learning
objectives.
Secondary Schools
When children reach secondary school, they are often travelling
independently for the first time. This is the peak age for child
road casualties. Road Safety Officers can advise on appropriate
activities and resources, including
theatre in education performances, to be used with this age
group.
Older pupils will often be looking forward to becoming drivers
or riders and it is therefore vital that they learn to appreciate
the responsibilities that go with this. Road Safety Officers can
advise on and provide materials for
pre-driver education. The D.S.A (Driving Standards Agency) are
currently providing free
pre-driver presentations to Secondary Schools.
