Education

In 2007, 3090 children were injured or killed on Great Britain’s roads compared to the 1994-98 baseline average of 6860. With more cars now on the highway network this shows improvement. Road safety education contributes to the county’s progress.

The casualty reduction work undertaken by the Wiltshire Council’s Road Safety Officers is centred on Education, Training and Publicity. A comprehensive range of activities is carried out to influence driver/rider behaviour and to improve the skills of all age groups and to give vulnerable road users, such as children, the necessary skills to make them safe throughout the highway network. Influencing behaviour is considered particularly important as research shows that in 95% of accidents, driver behaviour is a contributing factor.

The key areas of work are:

For Children

  • Working with teachers on key stage objectives – health, road safety safe and sustainable travel
  • ‘Bikeability’ offers government funded Level 2 cycle training by accredited National Standard instructors for children aged ten years and over
  • ‘Cycling Proficiency’ offers cycle training for children aged ten and above, for schools which have not transferred to Bikeability training
  • ‘Walk Safe’ is a child pedestrian training programme developed by Wiltshire Council Road Safety Education and delivered in schools by the road safety team for children at key stage 1 & key stage 2 in primary education
  • School travel plan advisors liaise with Road safety officers on the development of potential road safety measures to reduce vehicular travel and encourage safe alternative modes of travel, such as walking and cycling
  • Pre-driver training in secondary schools/colleges
  • Road safety projects with uniformed groups, e.g. Cubs, Brownies, etc
  • Distribution of child-friendly resources relating to the junior Highway Code and the Green Cross Code and walking and cycling literature
  • Encourage parents to promote road safety
  • Key Road Safety Education promotions: Caring Parent; Junior Good Citizen, National Walk to School Week, National Bike Week, Child Safety Week, Be Safe Be Seen

Contact Details

Email: roadsafetyeducation@wiltshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01225 701970
Postal Address:
Wiltshire Council
Road Safety
36 Lancaster Road
Bowerhill
Melksham
Wiltshire
SN12 6QT

Last updated: 29 March 2009