Warwickshire County Council is stepping up efforts to educate children on why it is important to use a school crossing patrol (SCP) when crossing the road.
The council says its SCPs are reporting a rise in the number of young people crossing roads away from patrols – and that this puts them at a much greater risk of suffering an injury.
To combat the issue, it has developed a series of digital resources, which will be shared among primary schools with a SCP nearby.
The first digital resource – Lollipops! – reminds children, young people and adults of the importance of crossing with a SCP and how to do so safely.
This includes to:
- wait until the patrol is in the road
- cross in front of the patrol
- be aware of vehicles that may not stop, such as emergency services vehicles
Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for transport and highways, said: “In Warwickshire, our dedicated SCPs are noting rising incidences of children and young people crossing roads away from patrols and this puts them at a much greater risk of suffering an injury.
“We hope that these new resources will help to reverse this trend by educating children and their parents and carers about the important functions of our school crossing patrols.”
The council has also developed social media clips to remind drivers to adhere to the requests of the SCPs, who are there to keep children safe while crossing busy roads.
Motorists are asked to:
- slow down near to schools, and in areas where a patrol is working;
- be patient and leave the crossing site clear
- park away from school crossing patrol sites
Drivers and cyclists are also reminded of Highway Code rule 210, which states that ‘you must stop when a school crossing patrol shows a stop sign’.
Cllr Redford added: “This campaign has two main objectives and it’s not just the children that we are educating and asking to change their behaviour.
“We are also keen to reach motorists as our SCPs have seen a worrying increase in the number of incidents of abuse, aggression and drive throughs being reported at almost all sites.”
I have been associated with Road Safety Education for the best part of 40 years, manufacturing and supplying reflective products to Local Authorities etc. Before the crash is 2008, Road Safety Departments had the staff and resources to teach children about the dangers on our roads, however all that changed after 2008 when budgets were cut and Road Safety Education in schools especially suffered badly.
Since 2008 there has been a lack of Road Safety Education in schools, I have seen this through my own grandchildren it is nothing like it was going back before the crash.
From what I can see these days, there are millions of pounds given by Government for Cycle Training, but very little finds it’s way to good old fashioned Road Safety Education in schools!
If budgets are cut then it is impossible to provide the staff and resources required, and so we get the problem of children just wandering across roads, ignoring crossings and as this article is pointing out ignoring school crossing patrols.
Local Authority Road Safety Departments need the budgets to increase staff, in order to get back to basics and into schools. This time of year with the darker nights and poor visibility, it is crucial children need to be seen, but very few wear any bright clothes etc.
As a company we diversified into other markets after the crash in 2008, but we still supply a few Local Authorities with High Viz and Reflective Products and give away boxes off cuts of High Viz materials to help with Road Safety Education when asked.
With more government cuts on their way, I doubt very much if anything is going to change with the way we teach children Road Safety!
Mike Hancox, Warwick
+6