CAMPAIGN TACKLES LACK OF PRE-SCHOOL ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION
17 August 2005 - Green Flag Motoring Assistance

Brake, the national road safety charity launches a campaign to address the lack of road safety education for pre-school children.

The campaign is supported by findings of a study that showed up to six-in-ten pre-schoolers aged five years and under receive no practical road safety education. Beep Beep! Day, backed by Green Flag Motoring Assistance, is launched in London today (24 August) by some 55 pre-schoolers at Leapfrog Day Nursery, Royal Victoria Docks, London E16..

Brake and Green Flag found that 57% of 7,550 pre-school children attending some 150 UK nurseries surveyed had not received practical road safety education at the roadside.

More than a quarter (26%) had received no road safety education at all. Both organisations are calling on the Government to make road safety education a compulsory part of foundation education for pre-schoolers and the national curriculum for school children. Currently, foundation education includes no requirements for nurseries to teach road safety, despite the fact that traffic is the second biggest killer of children (after cancer).

Seven children (under 16) are killed or injured on Britain''s roads every hour ? many afflicted by life-changing injuries such as brain damage, limb loss and paralysis.

Children living in deprived areas are most at risk. Across the country, children from the poorest areas are five times more likely to be killed on foot than those in the wealthiest areas.

Beep Beep! Day enables nurseries and playgroups to give their children a head-start by teaching lessons at an early age that will help them stay safe throughout their childhood. Altogether, more than 10,000 children across the UK expected to take part.

Brake and Green Flag are also using the campaign to appeal to drivers to help tackle child deaths and injuries by committing to staying within speed limits at all times, especially around schools, nurseries and homes, and slow down to below 20mph when children are about. A child hit by a car travelling at 20mph has a 95% chance of survival. A child hit at 40mph has just a 15% chance of survival.

Mary Williams, chief executive of Brake, says: ''Many of the children killed and seriously injured on our roads are mown down in their own neighbourhoods by local drivers. These deaths cause unimaginable suffering to families and shatter communities. Beep Beep! Day has a dual function ? to call on drivers to slow down around schools and homes and to get key safety messages to children. However, it''s imperative the Government ensures all children are receiving road safety education throughout childhood by making it compulsory in nurseries and schools.''

Melanie Denny, spokesperson from Green Flag, says: ''Safety is at the heart of what we do as a company and we believe it is never too early to start teaching children the essential road safety skills that can help them to stay safe on the roads for the rest of their lives.''

Pamela Benjamin, manager of Leapfrog Day Nursery, Royal Victoria Docks,
said: ''Beep Beep! Day is a fun way for us to get crucial messages across to the children, which we hope will help them to stay safe as they grow up.. The resources we have received from Brake are great, and will enable us to teach road safety throughout the year. I would urge all nursery leaders, teachers and parents to get in touch with Brake to find out how you can take action in your community to improve children''s safety on roads.''

Many nurseries and playgroups taking part in Beep Beep! Day are raising sponsorship in aid of Brake. All funds raised will help Brake''s work to prevent death and injury on roads through education and to support families who have been bereaved in a road crash.

It''s not too late for nurseries to register to run their own Beep Beep! Day (which can be run on any day). Nursery leaders can register by calling Jeremy at Brake on 01484 559909 or emailing beepbeep@brake.org.uk with their name, name of nursery or playgroup, and day-time telephone number.. Details are also available at www.greenflag.com.

Participating nurseries and playgroups receive a free action pack from Brake which includes a guide on teaching road safety to pre-schoolers using fun activities, safety guidelines on running the event, two visi-vests and a sponsorship envelope and sticker for each participating child. After the event each child will receive a certificate for taking part.

Brake also provides free resources and training for educators, parents, and community members who want to help improve road safety in their community ? call Brake on 01484 559909 or email iwanttohelp@brake.org.uk for more information.

www.greenflag.com

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