Road Safety Education

An awareness of road safety needs to be developed from an early age and continued throughout life

Our Road Safety Officers and School Crossing Patrols help children of all ages to learn how to be safe on the roads.

Learning to cope with the risks they will face on the roads allows our young people – and their parents – the confidence that they can enjoy the freedom to get out and about.

• Kerbcraft - Aged from 5-7 
  Kerbcraft teaches children aged from 5-7 how to be safer pedestrians by taking them onto real roads and showing them how the right decision-making and behaviour can really help them to keep safe.

   

   

  1. Recognising safer places to cross the road

  Children are helped to recognise dangers and hazards and identify alternative crossing places.

   

  2. Crossing safely near parked cars

  Children are taught how to use a safer strategy for crossing between parked vehicles when there is no other choice.

   

  3. Crossing safely at junctions

  Children are introduced to the problems of simple and complex junctions and taught a strategy for looking systematically in all directions before crossing.

    

  The scheme involves practical instruction out of the classroom, at the roadside in streets surrounding the school. This realistic method of tuition ensures children can relate to every day situations in the future. Each child will receive approximately 30 minutes training every week for a maximum of 12 weeks in the three different skills during the school year. This is usually delivered once a week at the same time and day throughout the training period.

   

  Infant children are instructed by the Kerbcraft Co-ordinator and Volunteer Trainers who have received Kerbcraft training and have been checked by the Criminal Records Bureau. These volunteers are usually parents of the children involved who have been recruited with help from the school. Child safety is of course paramount at all times. Whilst being trained they will be in pairs, under constant supervision and instructed to hold hands all the time. All children and adults will be wearing high-visibility tabards. All children can be included as Kerbcraft can be adapted for children with special needs.

   

  Funded by the Welsh Government, the training is a long-term project over the school year and is intended as the first step in preparing children for their future road safety. It is not intended as a licence to independency and parents should be guided by the Government's advice that children under eight must always be accompanied by a responsible person when they are near roads.

• Crucial Crew - 10-11 year olds

  Road safety games, quizzes, tips and advice for 10-11 year olds and parents

   

  Crucial Crew is an annual event for all 10 – 11 year olds in the Vale Of Glamorgan. All Primary and Junior Schools are invited to attend for half a day where the children get to visit a range of interactive scenarios hosted by a number of professional organisations.

   

  Crucial Crew is held over a three-week period during the months of May/June for the Vale of Glamorgan and is organised by the South Wales School Community Police Officers. It is designed to raise awareness amongst pupils with regards to all aspects of personal safety.

   

   

  Held in the Summer Term at the Safety Zone in Treforest, which is a mock village allowing children to learn about potentially dangerous situations in a controlled environment that mimics real life scenarios. Year 6 pupils spend 10 minutes at each interactive station, each dedicated to an aspect of safety, which includes road safety, police, fire services, recycling and a building site.

   

  The event consists of real life interactive sets for each agency. Pupils are placed into small groups and spend ten minutes at each set where they are presented with a number of tasks and situations to which they have to respond.

   

  The Road Safety scenario deals with the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt with the use of a ‘Seatbelt Sledge’ and our very own, unfortunate ‘Ted the bear’ who fully demonstrates the consequences of not using a seatbelt

   

   

• Cycle Training - Level 1

  This 'Off-road' course runs for 2½ hours for 1 day. The aim of this course is to encourage and develop basic bicycle control skills and to give trainees extra confidence within a ‘traffic free’ environment. Level 1 training has 12 compulsory outcomes which must be attained before trainees can undertake Level 2 and these are:

   - Demonstrate understanding of safety equipment and clothing

   - Carry out a simple bike check

   - Get on and off the bike without help

   - Start off and pedal without help

   - Stop without help 

   - Ride along without help for approximately one minute or more

   - Make the bike go where they want

   - Use gears (where present)

   - Stop quickly with control

   - Manoeuvre safely to avoid objects

   - Look all around, including behind, without loss of control

   - Control the bike with one hand.

   

  Children's understanding is checked at each stage and trainers use a combination of formal instruction and appropriate 'games' where the children can practice their new skills.

   

  At the end of the course the children will receive a certificate as long as they have reached the agreed National Standards level of competency.

• Cycle Training - Level 2

  Providing that the child has been successful at obtaining the level 1 of the National Standards, They will then progress to the Level 2. The 'On-road' course runs for 1 ½ hours each day over a further 3 days.

   

  The aim of the course is to encourage and develop safe cycling skills as well as a positive attitude towards road use, to increase knowledge and understanding of the road and traffic environment and to give trainees the confidence to use their bikes on local roads. 

   

  This training is delivered on local roads. Level 2 training has 15 compulsory outcomes trainees have to pass to complete this course, these are:

   - All Level 1 outcomes

   - Start an on road journey

   - Finish an on road journey

   - Be aware of potential hazards

   - Understand how and when to signal intentions to other road users

   - Understand where to ride on roads being used

   - Pass parked or slower moving vehicles

   - Pass side roads

   - Turn left into a minor road

   - Make a U-turn

   - Turn left into a major road

   - Turn right into a major road

   - Turn right from a major to minor road

   - Demonstrate decision making and understanding of safe riding strategy

   - Demonstrate a basic understanding of the Highway Code.

   

  The course is designed to develop observation and manoeuvrability skills, introduces the Highway Code for young road users, teaches the importance of cycle maintenance and hazard awareness and provides information and advice on being conspicuous and wearing protective headgear.

   

  In conclusion, it offers the opportunity to heighten a child’s awareness of the dangers that face them while Cycling on the roads. All children receive a certificate if they have 100% attendance and have reached the agreed National Standards level of competency. Please note this course does not entitle children to cycle to school, the ultimate decision still lies with the Parent/Guardian.

• Theatre in Education
  Theatre in Education is an excellent way of teaching Road Safety Education to all school aged pupils.

   

  A variety of productions are offered annually to all Primary and Secondary Schools across the authority delivering important road safety messages in a humorous and inventive way

   

  There are a number of theatre companies and various plays available to schools all featuring a Road Safety theme.

   

  Theatre has a unique way of presenting information to its audience as road safety can be a difficult topic to deliver.

   

  The plays are all funded by the Vale Of Glamorgan Council and are very popular in schools and community settings within the Vale.

For more information on courses available please contact the road safety team:

• C1V@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk