Buckinghamshire pupils learn about lorry dangers

Children at primary schools in Buckinghamshire are learning about the dangers of lorries through a partnership initiative between the county’s road safety team and a national logistics company.

Gist Logistics launched its National Child Road Safety Programme in 2012. The free of charge programme has been taken into primary schools across the country and has already been delivered to more than 4,000 children.

Through a combination of an interactive indoor session and an outdoor session with a practical demonstration, pupils are taught valuable road safety advice about large vehicles, including the dangers of under-estimating lorry stopping distances. The children are also given the chance to sit in the lorry cab to help understand where ‘blind spots’ are on the vehicles.

Cheddington Primary School, near Leighton Buzzard, recently hosted one of the demonstrations. Kim Key, the school’s School Travel Plan co-ordinator, said: “The Gist Logistics team were excellent and the children responded well to both aspects of the presentation. It was a real eye opener for the adults too.”

John Lamb, Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “The Gist programme aims to instil road safety awareness in children from an early age. It’s important that young cyclists and pedestrians have an understanding of the difficulties and limitations for drivers of large lorries.”

Martin Gwynn, Gist chief executive, said: “Gist’s focus on safety within our operations has always been essential, but we also feel it is important to pass on practical safety messages to young people to help make our communities as safe as possible.”

For more information about the programme contact Karen Harrington, Gist Foundation project manager, on: Karen.Harrington@Gistworld.com