GEM Motoring Assist News
GEM praises scheme for child road safety - A practical Tufty Club for the 21st Century
By
May 20, 2004, 11:41

CHILDREN in Great Britain are more likely to be killed by vehicles on the road than in almost any other country in Europe and practical child pedestrian training, sadly neglected since the demise of the Green Cross Code Man and the Tufty Club, needs to become a real priority says road safety champion, GEM Motoring Assist (GEM).

GEM, which works for the safety of all road users, is praising a child pedestrian training scheme for five to seven year olds that has been initiated in Staffordshire, called Starting Out.

Already, five schools have taken part in the Starting Out programme and it has been rolled out to a further five. If financial support remains in place the whole of Staffordshire’s younger pupils could be trained in avoiding injury and death on the road.

David Williams, Chief Executive of GEM, says that projects of this kind need to be operated throughout the UK if the misery of child deaths on the road is to be brought under control and injuries reduced.

Road Safety Student of the Year, Louise Martin, who works for Staffordshire County Council has explained to GEM’s 65,000 members how the scheme works.

She says: “Starting out uses paid road safety trainers to take children out in small groups over ten weeks. The course is designed so that children experience a range of road side situations such as identifying unsafe places to cross, safer crossing points and dealing with parked cars and junctions.

“A road safety trainer is teamed with two children for a weekly half-hour session to discuss with and question the children in a way that enables them to think and solve problems for themselves.
“The whole scheme is carefully monitored and record sheets are used for each child.”

Mr Williams adds: “We would welcome this scheme, or ones like it, being adopted nationally. However, all parents should train their children in road safety and make sure they know the risks themselves. It is a role active grandparents could undertake and will give them a practical way of protecting the youngsters they love.”

Further information on the Staffordshire scheme can be obtained by emailing: roadsafety@staffordshire.gov.uk.


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