RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

June 23, 1999
PARENTS MUST DO MORE TO PROTECT CHILDREN ON ROADS

CHILD SAFETY WEEK JUNE 21-27

Increased effort needs to be put into protecting children from the dangers of traffic near their homes, when they are at play and when going to and from school, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said today.

New guidelines for organising child pedestrian skills training schemes will be published shortly by RoSPA, the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Local Authority Road Safety Officers Association and the Association of London Borough Road Safety Officers.

They will be provided free to all local authorities in an effort to reduce the number of child pedestrians hurt on Britain’s roads each year.

"The current figure of about 18,000 is far too high," Dave Rogers, RoSPA Road Safety Adviser, said. "Parental involvement is one of the key aims of the new guidelines and we hope that mothers and fathers will begin to realise there is much more they can do to keep their children safe on the roads.

"They could use Child Safety Week as a starting point, beginning by checking their home environment to be sure that small children cannot stray onto the road by chance.

"Parents need to know where their children play, and if there is a safe route for them to get there. They must be certain older children have the skills to make the trip to the park or play area alone.

"And, of course, walking children to school is the ideal way of teaching them road safety lessons. If youngsters have no experience of crossing roads, is it any wonder they have road accidents when they are allowed out alone?

"If you must take your child to school by car, at least make sure they all have a seatbelt or the appropriate child car seat or restraint which is properly fitted. Don’t be tempted to cram too many children into a car to help out friends and neighbours."