Road Safety Week 2021
Road Safety Heroes
Road Safety Week takes place from 15th to 21st November 2021. The theme of this year’s Road Safety Week is Road Safety Heroes, celebrating the heroic work of road safety professionals, and explaining how we can all play a part in making journeys safer for everyone.
Why is road safety important?
First and foremost, road safety education is essential when it comes to avoiding traffic accidents. More than six children are killed or seriously injured on roads every day in the UK. Many of these incidents occur due to carelessness and lack of awareness, so it’s important that children are educated about this.
Children who have knowledge of road safety will not only be less likely to suffer an accident, but will also become more responsible and knowledgeable adults. They’ll become good, careful drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and passengers.
Road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young people worldwide so parents and educators should encourage their pupils to be aware of everything around them, especially on roads so that they are able to develop a responsible road sense.
How can schools ensure road safety on their sites?
Here are some of the ways you can promote road safety at your school or academy:
- Manage road risks through good policies and procedures;
- Have effective driver training and education e.g. for minibuses;
- Help your students and pupils learn about road safety and why it matters;
- Highlight the work that emergency services and road safety professionals do to reduce casualties and care for people affected by crashes;
- Share stories about road crash victims and the road safety heroes that helped them;
- Remind young drivers of road safety;
- Organise a school crossing patrol; and
- Have effective road signage on your school site and in car parks.
Road crashes cost the UK economy around £36 billion every year.
