New Education Resource Shows Children How To Get From 'A To B' Safely
Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson and top-selling author Ian Rankin today joined forces to launch a new road safety education resource aimed at young people aged 10 - 16 at school and at college.
The web-based tool, "a2bsafely", has been developed by Road Safety Scotland to educate pupils and students on the dangers faced by traffic on Scotland’s roads.
Last year, 14 more children died in road accidents in Scotland.
The new resource is aimed specifically at pupils with Additional Support Needs but can be used by all children. It will give young pupils greater understanding of the hazards, and education in how to avoid them through interactive tasks and games.
Launching the resource, the Transport Minister said:
"Last year, a classroom full of children died on Scotland’s roads. That is 25 children too many, and we need to continue to look to new ways of educating our young people about the very real dangers that face them day in day out.
"Education is absolutely key.
"Road Safety Scotland is already providing many valuable classroom resources to schools up and down the country, but a2bsafely is another important part of the effort to get that safety message across to people right through their school life and beyond.
"If we are to stop children dying needlessly on our roads, we need joint action both in our schools and in our homes through parental guidance. This resource aids that process – children can use this anywhere.
"Last month I named members of an expert group on road safety to help us look at what more can be done to reduce the number of deaths on Scotland’s roads. We will have our first meeting next month and we will look at a range of issues to help inform a new 10 year strategy. I am prepared to take bold action and am ruling nothing in or out at this stage."
Speaking at the event, Ian Rankin said:
Michael McDonnell, Director of Road Safety Scotland said: "Road safety is an essential part of life for all of us, and road safety awareness is a key life skill that could significantly increase the independence of young people with additional support needs, both now and throughout their adult lives."
Notes to News Editors
1. Following research which reported on Improving Road Safety Education for Children and Young People with Additional Support Needs, Road Safety Scotland’s Education Sub-committee advised on the formation of a working group to take forward the main findings and recommendations. Comprising representation from City of Edinburgh Children and Families, Department, Scottish Society of Autism, Schools Directorate, Scottish Government, NHS Health Scotland and Police Road Safety Units from Fife, Grampian and Lothian and Borders, this group steered the development of this new education resource.
2. Some small scale studies have found that children with additional learning needs are disproportionately represented in road accidents, and others have linked particular behaviours such as hyperactivity to road risk. A recent study identified that parents, schools and other stakeholders believe that their children are at higher risk of involvement in a road accident.
3. Road safety awareness is seen as a key life skill that could significantly increase the independence of a young person, with additional support needs, both now and in his/her adult life.
4. The resource can be viewed at a2bsafely.com
5 . Road Accidents Scotland 2006, published last June, showed there were 25 child fatalities in 2006, 14 more than in 2005.
6. The Minister announced he would be bringing together experts from across Scotland and beyond – the police, advanced driving experts, road safety organisations, the Children’s Commissioner, youth groups and others – to advise on what more could be done and identify options to provide greater protection for drivers. He named members of that group last month: click here for details.