Road Safety Week 2015 takes place between 23rd – 29th November this year. The theme? Drive less, live more. Here’s some more information, facts and figures and some great road safety week products and classroom ideas.
This year Brake, the road safety charity, are encouraging road users to consider using their car less for journeys where it might not be necessary. Some things to consider:
- Two thirds of all trips are made by car. 4 in 10 trips (40%) are less than a two mile journey.
- Since 1995 average walking trips per person have decreased by 27%
- A quarter of adults in England are obese and the cost to the NHS of people being overweight is estimated at £4.2 billion a year.
- Incorporating activity like walking and cycling into everyday life is effective for losing weight.
- In 2013 there were 1,770 people killed and 22,377 people seriously injured on UK roads. The vast majority of casualties are attributable to driver error
- On average a family can save £642 a year by swapping a car-based school run for walking or cycling
- Air pollution is estimated to cause 24,000 deaths a year in the UK, half attributable to road transport
- The number of cars is set to increase by 43% by 2035 and traffic delays by 50%
The trick to road safety week 2015 is to get everyone thinking about how they can limit car use during daily life. There are times when you only need to travel a short distance such as to the end of the road or to work where using a car might not be necessary. Next time you’re about to leave you house in your car ask yourself whether it’s a trip you could make on foot instead.
The A, B & C of Road Safety Week
Teaching road safety in schools can start from the minute children enter your classroom. Children of all ages can understand the danger of vehicles and the steps they can take to keep safe. Teaching road safety really is as simple as a, b,c…
A is for awareness- traffic is dangerous and can hurt people
B is for behaviour- things you can do to stay safe
C is for choice and campaigning- how to make safer choices and to help others make those choices too
You can be increasingly frank about the way you teach road safety as children get older but the basis above is a great three step system to follow.
The Green Cross Code
You’ll find a full version of the green cross code here. The green cross code was created to teach everyone, not just children the basic rules of crossing the road and being a responsible pedestrian.
For younger children, reading through a list of things your should be doing when crossing the road can be pretty boring.
School Stickers Green Cross Codes Stickers are designed to add some excitement to your teaching plans. You’ll get a pack of 5 different sticker designs all featuring a cute farmyard animal.
These are great for encouraging discussions with children after they leave school for the day.
Messages include: “I always find a safe place to cross”, “I always stop, look and listen”, “I always remember the Green Cross Code”, “I always keep looking and listening while i cross” & “I always wait until it’s safe to cross”.
Looking for a way to reward your pupils learning all about road safety? Create your own stickers, badges, postcards and stamps using Sticker Maker. It’s super easy to use (promise) and you can read all you need to know here.