Somerset County Council’s road safety team is urging parents to set a good example when on or near the road as part of this year’s National Child Safety Week (5 to 11 June).
The theme for the week, organised by the Child Accident Prevention Trust, is ‘Sharing is Caring’ – and Somerset Road Safety is asking people to show they care about children’s safety by sharing their experience and knowledge.
Young children learn by watching and copying the habits of others – meaning that simply practising good road safety yourself can help to keep the children you love safe.
Some simple things you can do to set a good example include:
· Always follow the Green Cross Code
· Never use a mobile phone/music player while crossing the road
· Always wear a seat belt
· Never use a mobile phone while driving
· Be considerate to other road users
· Always drive at a sensible speed for the road conditions
· Never park on the zig-zag lines outside schools
· Practice safe cycling
A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “It’s really important to set a good example when we’re around young children, particularly when it comes to road safety.
“We may be telling them the right thing to do, but there’s every chance they will grow up copying what we do, rather than what we say.
“Here at Somerset Road Safety we will continue to share our road safety knowledge with the children of Somerset through Bikeability courses, road safety talks to schools and support for Cub/Brownie groups with their road safety badge work.
“We also offer our new Cycling and Road Safety presentation which is run in conjunction with the DHL UK Foundation and incorporates the TACS (Trucks and Child Safety) national programme.
“The programme delivers vital road safety messages to children via interactive on-site demonstrations using a real lorry, alongside a class-based presentation by our Somerset Road Safety trainers. So far this year it has been seen by more than 800 children in Somerset.”
For more information on Somerset Road Safety courses, please visit www.somersetroadsafety.org, find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/somersetroadsafety, Twitter www.twitter.com/SCC_RoadSafety , or Instagram www.instagram.com/somersetroadsafety .
Further information on Child Safety Week can be found at www.childsafetyweek.org.uk
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