With children nationally heading back to school either today or later this week, the Western Australian government is urging all drivers to be extra vigilant on our roads.
The return to the classroom coincides with a new package of road safety programs announced that will teach pre-primary students the importance of becoming safe road users. Authored by Danny Katz, ‘That’s the sound the street makes’ follows the story of Ella on her journey to school with her sniffling Dad, as she reminds him how to be a responsible and safe pedestrian. It will be supplied to every pre-primary class in WA.
“After seven weeks of summer holidays, this is a timely reminder for drivers that students return to the classrooms this week,” Police and Road Safety Minister Michelle Roberts said.
“The start of a new school year is always an exciting time for students and their families, but it can also be a vulnerable time for young children around roads and vehicles.”
An augmented reality app which teaches four to 11-year-olds about road safety will also be rolled out to schools in regional WA.
The $107,000 worth of initiatives aimed at teaching children key road safety messages are being funded from the Road Trauma Trust Account. Motorists are being reminded they must reduce their speed to 40kmh in school zones, between the hours of 7:30am to 9am and 2:30pm to 4pm
Recent data from the Cameras Save Lives campaign found that the top four road safety cameras for infringements issued in 2016-17 were all 40km/h sites. Ms Roberts said the purpose of the campaign was just as much as much for children as it was for current road users.
“Some students may be walking or riding to school for the first time and I urge all parents to discuss road safety with their child and for all drivers to heed the 40kmh speed limit.
“Police will also be out in force around our schools to ensure drivers stick to the 40kmh school zone limit.”
For more details on the Western Australia road safety campaign, click here.
