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Help, Safety & Advice
Join our campaign to help youngsters stay safe on our roads
Everyday a child under five is killed or seriously injured on British roads. The latest statistics from the Department for Transport* reveal that 27 under-fives were killed in 2004. Ten of those were on foot and 15 were car passengers. In all, 381 under-fives were seriously injured (240 on foot and 123 car passengers).
These startling facts are why Green Flag Motoring Assistance has agreed to sponsor Beep Beep! Day for the third year running.
What is Beep Beep! Day?
The campaign, led by road safety charity Brake, aims to teach life-saving road safety lessons to pre-school children and reduce the shocking numbers of children killed and injured on our roads each year. We believe it is never too early to teach children simple road safety lessons in a fun and engaging way.
Beep Beep! Day events will run throughout summer 2006 in nurseries and pre-school groups across the country. The aim is to educate young children in ways to improve their road safety skills.
Beep Beep! Day was launched in 2004 and last year more than 18,000 children took part – a massive increase on the previous year. The tots were either taken on a short walk on nearby safe pavements or used their 'ride on' toys in the playground to learn basic road safety lessons.
Some nurseries raised sponsorship money for Brake's work to prevent death and injury on the roads and care for road crash victims, raising more than £18,000. Nurseries can also involve parents, by inviting them to attend as volunteer supervisors.
What can you do?
Brake is currently urging nursery schools, childminders and pre-school groups throughout the UK to get involved in the campaign by organising their own Beep Beep! Day event. Nurseries and pre-school groups that register will receive an information pack on how to run their own Beep Beep! Day event.
Why is it so important?
In 2003, 20 child pedestrians aged six and under were killed on Britain's roads in 2004 the figure rose to 27 deaths. In Scotland, parents of pre-schoolers receive free educational literature through the Children's Traffic Club, to help them teach their children vital road safety messages, however, parents of toddlers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have to pay to join the club.
Brake believes that these resources should be made free to all parents, and will be calling upon the Government to fund this scheme nationally. Road safety is not yet a compulsory part of the national curriculum in schools.
Mary Williams OBE - Brake
It is essential that young children are taught basic road safety lessons, such as holding hands with an adult when crossing the road. Brake hopes that Beep Beep! Day can tackle the heartbreaking number of child pedestrian deaths and injuries in the UK and I urge all nurseries, pre-schools and childminders to get involved.
Nigel Charlesworth – Green Flag Motoring Assistance
Nigel Charlesworth, spokesperson for Green Flag, adds: "We have the safety of all road users at the heart of our operation and we are very proud to sponsor the nation's second series of Beep Beep! Days."
Some comments from those who have taken part in a Beep Beep! Day:
Donna Firman, Elmfield Nursery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
"We teach the children road safety right from the start because it's important they learn about the potential dangers. Beep Beep! Day is a great initiative to raise awareness of road safety for everyone and Brake has given us great resources to work with."
Isabel Brown, Warter Pre-school Group, Driffield
"I have had parents say to me that their child has commented in the car about what road signs mean. They have said, 'we can go now, mummy', or 'we have to stop now, mummy', at traffic lights.
Suzanah Gledhill, Buffer Bear Spring Cottage Nursery, Huddersfield
"Beep Beep! Day is a fun way for us to get crucial messages across to the children. We hope it will help them to stay safe as they grow up. The resources we have received from Brake are great, they will enable us to teach road safety throughout the year."
Sonia Harvey, Castle Garden Day Nursery, Derby
"I think the children do take it all in, especially the older ones. With the younger ones it's just about introducing the ideas of road safety to them."
Amanda Trasler, Tangent House Day Nursery, Leicester
"Learning about road safety is very important for the children. We tell them why they shouldn't run out into the road. They really enjoyed themselves. We set up a pretend road in the classroom with a pedestrian crossing and cars for them to play with."
How can I get involved?
Nursery schools and pre-school groups that hold a Beep Beep! Day event receive an action pack containing guidelines and resources including stickers, posters, activity sheets, colouring posters and a teaching pack to help them organise a range of road safety activities. They also get two free fluorescent high-visibility vests to use on the day and to keep for future activities. Early years educators can hold their Beep Beep! Day anytime over the summer.
To register to run a Beep Beep! Day, contact Brake on 01484 559 909 or email: beepbeep@brake.org.uk with your name, the name of your nursery or playgroup, and daytime telephone number.
* Road Casualties Great Britain 2004 Annual Report
