RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
September 17, 2002
SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES TO HELP CUT ROAD DEATHS
A new book to help schools to tackle road safety problems has been produced by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
Almost 20 per cent of child pedestrian casualties occur on the way to and from school, and road accidents are the biggest single cause of death for children between the ages of one and 15.
The RoSPA book will help schools to introduce road safety themes into school assemblies.
Kevin Clinton, RoSPA Head of Road Safety, said: "Road safety education is vital for children to be able to keep themselves as safe as possible on our roads. Assemblies are one of the few times the whole school, or a significant part of it, gets together. They provide ideal opportunities to reinforce road safety learning, help pupils discuss incidents or accidents, meet people who can help them and explore the implications of their behaviour.
"The assembly plans are best used as a series to support and reinforce road safety activities in the curriculum, although each one stands alone and can be used to fulfil a particular need."
The book is made up of groups of assembly plans for different ages: four to seven years, seven to 11 years, 11 to 14 years and 15-plus. It ranges from songs and stories for five year-olds to serious debates for teenagers about the social and moral issues raised by road accidents.
Topics include: for four to seven year-olds, safe places to cross and play, getting lost and traffic; for seven to 11 year-olds, cycle helmets, belting up and going on a school trip; for 11 to 14 year-olds, safe cycling, in-car safety and responsibilities as road users; and for 15-plus, learning to drive, newly-qualified drivers and mobile phones.
The book, School Assembly Plans Using Road Safety Themes, has been produced with funding from the Department for Transport, and has been circulated free to road safety officers throughout the country. Copies can also be downloaded from the RoSPA website www.rospa.com
The Government has set a target of reducing deaths and serious injuries among children on Britain's road by 50 per cent over the 10-year period to 2010. Last year the number of children killed or seriously injured was 4,986 - down four per cent on 2000.
