Road safety in education
Road safety is not just a subject for younger children. The older children get, the more at risk they become as they gain independence.
High school and college
We provide a programme which offers opportunities for experts to visit schools in person or virtual and pass on vital knowledge that may well save lives, with minimal staff or planning time required.
Most young people want to drive. Unfortunately, young drivers are statistically more at risk of a road related car crash and injury. It is important to start our behavioural change programme as early as possible. For more details regarding the programme you can contact our Road Safety team.
Cheers Bar
The Cheers Bar initiative is a non-alcoholic bar with virtual reality headsets set up in a recreation area set aside for the Sixth Form. Students are encouraged into discussion about the strength of alcohol, the time the body takes to eliminate it from the blood stream and the pressures to drink and drive, drug use etc.
The Cheers Bar creates a space where informal relationships with the students can be developed so that messages about alcohol and drugs can be transferred. Impairment glasses along with virtual reality films are used to demonstrate the effect that alcohol and drugs have on perception.
Primary schools and voluntary groups
Let's Walk Pedestrian training programme (year 3 and 4)
A child pedestrian training programme coordinated by the Road Safety team for year 3 and 4 children. It consists of two one hour practical roadside training sessions per small group of children (10 or less), led by volunteer instructors from school or your local PCSOs who will be fully trained and supported by the Road Safety team.
All children will also receive an activity book filled with fun things to complete that cover the eight steps of crossing the road: walking straight across the road, safer crossing places, crossing in difficult places, busy and quiet roads, stopping distances, planning safer routes and finding a safer place to play. This needs to be delivered in the classroom before the practical sessions.
We hope this will encourage children and parents to walk to school and therefore reduce traffic and congestion at the school gate.
Bikeability
Bikeability is a cycle training programme that teaches children practical skills and gives them the understanding and expertise they need to ride their bikes on the road. There are three levels of Bikeability training. Levels one and two are delivered in primary schools followed by level three in high schools.
Schools in Cheshire West can request free Bikeability training. To enquire about or book training in your school, please contact BikeRight!
Junior safety officers (JSO's)
A community scheme, working in partnership with Cheshire Constabulary, involving year 6 children (usually two children plus an adult 'buddy') being appointed as JSO's for their school. Their job is to promote road, community and personal safety messages to their fellow pupils and the wider community through reading out monthly bulletins, keeping a notice board and running competitions.
JSO's receive a guide full of supporting information, a badge and continued support from Road Safety Officers and staff from Cheshire Constabulary.
Modeshift STARS – Active Travel Accreditation Scheme
Modeshift STARS is the national school award scheme that has been established to recognise schools that have demonstrated excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable travel.
The scheme encourages schools across the country to join in a major effort to increase levels of sustainable and active travel to improve the health and well-being of children and young people. On completion of an application for Modeshift STARS, schools will automatically have a brand new national standard School Travel Plan.
Modeshift STARS Education is set up so that you can work your way through each level of accreditation progressively. Once you have met one level, you will be well on your way to achieving the next. Accreditation levels are Green, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
Parent Parking Charter – safer parking outside schools
Parents parking dangerously outside local schools is a safety concern for many teachers, parents, pupils and residents. We are aware that this is a significant problem that is replicated at almost every primary and secondary school across the borough and most want to do something about this problem outside their school. The Parent Parking Charter aims to reduce occurrences of dangerous parking and congestion as much as possible by changing the behaviour of drivers. We ask that parents and carers support the scheme by not parking outside schools, but walk, car share or cycle to improve the air quality outside school.
For any safer parking scheme to be successful it must have the support and compliance of parents, school and residents. Children at each school are consulted via their school council or similar and asked to come up with their own charter addressing the problems outside their school. There are examples of other school’s charters along with accompanying bespoke banners, these can be adapted and made more specific to the environment and problems associated with your school. As the children have created it, it is more likely to gain greater support from parents, raise greater awareness and behavioural change.
Contact us
For more information regarding our school programmes or how to start a scheme for your school please contact our Road Safety team by email: roadsafety@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk